Broadcasters call out columnist's Caitlin Clark coverage

Jenna Ortiz, Arizona RepublicMon, Jul 6, 2026·3 min read

The coverage of the WNBA’s players has divided several sports media members, including USA TODAY columnist Christine Brennan, former ESPN host Sarah Spain and Arizona women’s basketball play-by-play announcer Cindy Brunson.

The three have engaged in debates across several platforms over Brennan’s coverage of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark since Clark’s rookie season in 2024.

Clark’s coverage has been a hot topic for the WNBA, but has become an even bigger topic since Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas was issued a one-game suspension after putting her fist into Clark's throat as the players fell to the floor on June 24.

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Brennan wrote a column that argued WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was given the “greatest gift” for her league when Clark arrived but has failed to protect her.

Brennan drew criticism from Spain and others.

Brennan's column: Caitlin Clark made the WNBA bigger. It’s still playing small | Opinion

"We would never say the 'NBA hates' fill-in-the-blank," Spain said in a video posted to LinkedIn. "That's describing every single player in the league as having that opinion and being a part of an agenda. She does that all the time with the WNBA, and it is frankly a dereliction of duties as a journalist."

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Spain questioned Brennan's motivations and said that her repeated focus on Clark may have less to do with balanced reporting than with promoting her recently published book on Clark and her impact on women's sports titled "On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports."

"I've had people ask me what Christine's intent is with all of this riding for Caitlin," Spain said. "I have to assume that's why she keeps writing these pieces and keeps inserting the book's title. That is the most gracious excuse I can give for her singular focus on one player, and not on the league."

When the WNBA All-Star ballots were revealed on July 2, Brennan took issue with the fact that Clark was ranked as the 11th-best guard by her WNBA peers, down two spots from the previous season.

But Brunson, who called Mercury games from 2022 to 2024, named several other guards that she thought were appropriately ranked ahead.

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“The players don’t want to help you sell books,” Brunson wrote. “They want to acknowledge top-tier play!”

Since exiting the June 24 game against the Mercury with a back injury, Clark has missed the last two games. The Fever will travel to Phoenix to face the Mercury for the third and final time on Thursday, July 9, at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Reach the reporter or send tips for stories at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com, as well as @jennarortiz on X.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Broadcasters call out columnist's Caitlin Clark coverage

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