Caitlin Clark might already be one of the best players in the WNBA this season—she also might be one of the most controversial.
The Indiana Fever guard was recently announced as one of the captains for the WNBA All-Star Game on July 19, the reward of receiving the most fan votes (a whopping and historic 1.3 million). Clark was also the No. 3 vote-getter among media members, but when it came to voting from players, the Fever star shockingly did not do well.
Clark finished as the ninth-best guard in player voting for the All-Star game, below the likes of Dallas Wings' Paige Bueckers, New York Liberty's Natasha Cloud, and even fellow Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell. Here's the full breakdown.
ESPN's Dick Vitale sent a harsh message to the WNBA after the voting results were released, ripping the players for being "jealous" of the former Rookie of the Year.
"Absolutely PURE JEALOUSY that @WNBA players voted Caitlin Clark the 9th best guard . Some day they will realize what she Has done for ALL of the players in the WNBA . Charted planes - increase in salaries-sold out crowds - improved TV Ratings," Vitale wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Absolutely PURE JEALOUSY that @WNBA players voted Caitlin Clark the 9 th best guard . Some day they will realize what she Has done for ALL of the players in the WNBA . Charted planes - increase in salaries-sold out crowds - improved TV Ratings https://t.co/TwGj1DtQMU
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) July 1, 2025
The college basketball icon has a point—Clark finishing as ninth among WNBA guards feels like a bit of stretch considering how aggressively opposing teams have defended her in games this year. It's possible her lack of availability played a part in her peers' decision to rank her so low, as Clark has missed seven games so far due to quad and groin injuries.
Still, many including Vitale are clearly baffled at the league metaphorically sticking their noses up at Clark. She's not the only one getting ranked surprisingly low, either. Los Angeles Sparks vet Kelsey Plum, who ranked sixth in fan and media voting, was 16th in player voting despite averaging 20.6 points per game, good for fourth in the league.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dick Vitale Blasts WNBA Players for Caitlin Clark’s All-Star Ranking: ‘Pure Jealousy’.
