Caitlin Clark is one of the biggest stars in sports right now. After a legendary NCAA run with the Iowa Hawkeyes, the young basketball phenom was selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
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Almost immediately after she was drafted, practically every size of her Fever jersey was sold out online. Clark is also getting a lucrative deal to sign with Nike, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
While Clark has appeared on the Pat McAfee Show and Saturday Night Live this past week, she is also doing her opening interviews in the Indiana area. During an initial press conference, she was asked about her heart gesture by longtime reporter Gregg Doyel who is now being roasted online for the inappropriate nature of his questions.
Doyel makes the heart hand gesture to Clark, which she responds with, “You like that?” He then says, “I like that you are here.”
Clark handles the awkward nature of the comment like a pro and states, “I do that at my family after every game.” This prompts the somewhat inappropriate comment from Doyel who says, “Start doing it to me and we’ll get along just fine.”
This may have been Doyel being nervous and wanting to share a light-hearted joke to break the ice with Clark, but how his comments were delivered did not come across that way. The entire reaction has since led to many criticizing Doyel online, with many calling into question the entire nature of the conversation.
What a weirdo
Be professional you’re there to do your job
— ³⁴ (@GiannisWorld) April 17, 2024
These reporters finally talk to a woman for the first time in their lives and they forgot how to act.
— B.B. Bundy (@BB_Bundy) April 17, 2024
What an insanely inappropriate and creepy thing to say to a young girl new to the city. Dude should not be allowed back
— Esta☀️ (@knyesta) April 17, 2024
This was a terrible moment for Gregg Doyel, a journalist I’ve known practically since I first started reporting professionally. Obviously something that never would have been said to a male athlete. I said this some time ago, but another upside of Caitlin Clark’s popularity is… https://t.co/rrqs4S0YaF
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) April 18, 2024
“How did you digest an incredibly uncomfortable moment yesterday [between Caitlin Clark and Gregg Doyel]?” @mikegolicjr
“This is not how you talk about an adult with respect. Both clips show me that not everyone is ready to treat female athletes at the highest level like they… pic.twitter.com/Ml8TE2fQHn
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) April 18, 2024
Clark is a massive star already, and she is going to be talking to many reporters in the months and years to come. However, she should be treated with the utmost respect and dignity during said interviews. Again, Doyel may have been attempting to be friendly, but it did not come across as such to the outsiders looking in. He has since apologized for the interaction on his X page, along with a lengthy apology for the Indy Star.
Today in my uniquely oafish way, while welcoming @CaitlinClark22 to Indy, I formed my hands into her signature 🫶. My comment afterward was clumsy and awkward. I sincerely apologize. Please know my heart (literally and figuratively) was well-intentioned. I will do better.
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) April 17, 2024
Hopefully, the internet can forgive Doyel for this interaction, but everyone is still treating the situation as highly inappropriate on Doyel’s end. His apology seems genuine, but it may take some time for the internet to forgive him.
As for Clark, she is set to make her debut with the Indiana Fever on May 3, when they kick off preseason play with two games against the Dallas Wings and the Atlanta Dream. The first game of the regular season for Clark and the Fever will take place on May 14 against the Connecticut Sun.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.