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Sports announcer Bob Costas is calling out the hypocrisy in the attention and coverage of fouls against WNBA rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
A hard foul on Clark committed by Chicago Sky player Chennedy Carter garnered widespread attention, with many fans claiming that the rookie is unfairly being targeted during games.
During a Monday (June 3) appearance on CNN, Costas noted a flagrant foul against Reese, who was grabbed by the neck and pulled onto the court by Connecticut Sun player Alyssa Thomas, didn't draw as many eyes. The sports announcer cited race as the reason for the hypocrisy.
"The reason why that doesn't spark as much conversation isn't just that Caitlin Clark is a bigger star than Alyssa Thomas," Costas said Monday. "It's because it's a Black-on-Black incident and you don't have that dynamic that people can comment on, yes, but also exaggerate and make the entire story sometimes."
Costas went on to explain that rookies across all sports get roughhoused for being newbies. He said Clark's situation only upsets fans because she's white.
Cari Champion, who also appeared on CNN Monday, echoed Costas' sentiments, saying fans haven't cared about "women of a certain color" going hard against each other since the WNBA launched in 1997.
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