WNBA Legend Sue Bird Rips Racist Trolls For Using Caitlin Clark As A 'Pawn'

WNBA icon Sue Bird insisted on calling a “spade a spade” on Wednesday as she claimed that internet trolls are using Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark as a “pawn” to spread racist hate to the league’s players.

“Racism has been impacting the WNBA well before this year, this is not a new thing. In that way, I do think Caitlin’s being used as a pawn,” said the former Seattle Storm player and the team’s part-owner in her “A Touch More” podcast with fiancée Megan Rapinoe.

“Caitlin didn’t bring racism to the WNBA. This has been happening and that I think is what’s been such a shock for all of us. That other people are surprised by this. We’ve been trying to tell you.”

Bird’s remarks arrive roughly a week after Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas, who is Black, slammed racist and homophobic comments from the Fever’s fan base after the Sun swept the team in the playoffs.

“Basketball is headed in a great direction, but we don’t want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial things,” Thomas said.

The talk of racism impacting WNBA players follows a historic regular season for the league that saw increased attendance and viewership along with interest in both Clark, the WNBA Rookie of the Year, and Chicago Sky star Angel Reese.

The two have dismissed rumors that there’s beef between them stemming from their college rivalry, which included Reese’s “you can’t see me” gesture to Clark during the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball tournament. Clark made a similar gesture earlier in the tournament, but only Reese’s sparked backlash.

Reese, who has revealed that she’s faced death threats amid her rise in fame, recently declared that “something has to change” while claiming the media has benefited from her “pain” and “villainized” her to