Caitlin Clark
Date Range
Score Range
Fox News : Caitlin Clark avoiding Fever teammate's high-five attempt sparks outrageous social media discourse
Caitlin Clark framed as socially isolated or excluded within team context
The narrative repeatedly returns to moments where Clark appears disconnected from teammates or coaches, using ambiguous behavior to suggest exclusion despite lack of direct evidence.
“Tyasha Harris, tried to high five Clark as she walked back onto the floor. Clark, appearing to have her head down, walked past Harris.”
Fox News : LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke calls Caitlin Clark 'oafish' and 'spoiled' in lengthy takedown column
Caitlin Clark portrayed as a positive force in women's basketball, not a divisive figure
The article emphasizes Clark’s role in bringing millions of new fans to the WNBA and frames her as a transformative figure whose popularity surpasses even established stars like A’ja Wilson.
“I guess she'll just have to settle for the other millions of fans she brought to the WNBA.”
Fox News : LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke calls Caitlin Clark 'oafish' and 'spoiled' in lengthy takedown column
Caitlin Clark framed as honest and unfairly maligned by media
The article defends Clark against accusations of being 'coddled' or 'entitled', reframing her critiques of media and fans as justified given her insider perspective.
“What a jerk! How dare she imply that she has more information about her relationship with her coaches and teammates than the media or fans. How could she possibly know more than we do?”
USA Today : Caitlin Clark can be electric and exhausting — sometimes in the same quarter | Opinion
framed as antagonistic toward officials and norms
Loaded language and sarcasm depict Clark’s interactions with referees as condescending and hostile, undermining cooperative sportsmanship.
“Which is what it is when Clark claps at a ref and tells him or her to open their eyes.”
USA Today : Caitlin Clark can be electric and exhausting — sometimes in the same quarter | Opinion
portrayed as increasingly alienating fans and peers
Vague attribution and moral framing suggest a growing public backlash, positioning Clark as a divisive figure losing broad support despite initial adoration.
“It’s made Clark into the WNBA’s own Rorschach test. Either you think she can do no wrong or you think she’s an entitled brat, and the number of people who don’t hold an opinion seems to be dwindling...”
USA Today : Caitlin Clark can be electric and exhausting — sometimes in the same quarter | Opinion
portrayed as declining in effectiveness due to counterproductive behavior
Episodic framing emphasizes repeated instances of negative behavior (e.g., falling without contact, arguing with refs) as evidence of a broader pattern undermining her performance and reputation.
“There’s at least one instance every game that Clark acts as if she’s been shot after pushing off someone else or she drops to the court without ever being touched.”
USA Today : Caitlin Clark can be electric and exhausting — sometimes in the same quarter | Opinion
portrayed as dishonest and manipulative
The article uses loaded adjectives and moralistic framing to depict Clark as engaging in deceptive behavior such as flopping and showing disrespect to referees, suggesting intentional gamesmanship.
“The flopping that even a C-list actor would find cringey. The histrionics over calls and the disrespect toward the refs.”
Fox News : Dakich: sports media has created an ‘industry’ out of complaining about white athletes like Caitlin …
Caitlin Clark portrayed as unfairly excluded and targeted by media
The article frames Clark as a victim of racialized media bias, emphasizing how she is unfairly criticized and blamed for fan behavior, positioning her as excluded from fair treatment.
“She has been shoved, grabbed, mocked, criticized and blamed for the alleged behavior of "her" fans.”
New York Post : Cari Champion eviscerates the ‘entitlement’ from Caitlin Clark in WNBA: ‘I don’t like you’
Caitlin Clark is framed as benefiting from unfair treatment and lacking accountability
[loaded_language], [contextualisation]
“That type of blatant favoritism annoys the hell out of me”
New York Post : Cari Champion eviscerates the ‘entitlement’ from Caitlin Clark in WNBA: ‘I don’t like you’
Caitlin Clark is framed as an adversarial figure, embracing a 'villain' role
[loaded_labels], [conflict_framing]
“if you want to be the villain, if you want to be the tough person … then let it be”