The ESPYs stage became a lightning rod Wednesday night when comedian Shane Gillis turned his opening monologue into a controversial commentary on race and sports. His target? Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever superstar whose meteoric rise has transformed the WNBA landscape. But Gillis’s attempt at humor crossed lines that have fans, players, and media members asking hard questions about comedy’s role in sports culture.
What Made Gillis’ Joke So Problematic?
“It’s a big year for the WNBA. I love Caitlin Clark,” Gillis said during his monologue, before delivering the line that sparked immediate backlash: “When Caitlin Clark retires from the WNBA, she’s going to work at a Waffle House so she can continue doing what she loves most: fist fighting Black women.”
“When Caitlin Clark retires from the WNBA, she’s going to work at a Waffle House so she can continue doing what she loves most, fist-fighting black women.”
— Shane Gillis
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 17, 2025
The joke weaponized racial stereotypes while referencing the physical confrontations that have followed Clark throughout her professional career. By reducing her on-court experiences to a racial caricature, Gillis transformed legitimate basketball rivalries into something far more sinister. The reference to Waffle House, a chain often associated with late-night altercations, added another layer of problematic imagery.
How Has Caitlin Clark Been at the Center of Physical Play?
The remark referenced a series of physical altercations and hard fouls Clark has endured during her first two seasons in the league. The 23-year-old guard has been the focal point of the WNBA since being drafted No. 1 overall by the Fever after a record-setting career at Iowa, where she became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer.
However, the spotlight hasn’t come without tension. Clark has faced aggressive tactics from opponents and has been involved in multiple on-court confrontations. In June, Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter delivered a hard shoulder check that sparked national debate.
Physical contact has remained part of Clark’s professional education. After a rugged defensive night, she exited the Fever’s July 15 game in Boston against the Connecticut Sun with a groin injury. The drama unfolded before a raucous, Clark-leaning sellout crowd of more than 19,000 at TD Garden, a traveling showcase of her drawing power that Commissioner Cathy Engelbert called important to the league’s growth.
How Has Clark’s Impact Transformed the WNBA?
Through Tuesday’s games, Clark is averaging 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 8.8 assists while shooting 36.7% from the field and 27.9% from three-point range. The Fever sits at 12-11 and third in the Eastern Conference, but her individual statistics only tell part of the story.
Clark was the WNBA’s No. 1 overall pick in 2024 and won the league’s Rookie of the Year award in a near-unanimous vote after a debut season that helped push attendance and visibility nationwide. Her star power extends far beyond box scores, filling arenas and generating television ratings that have exceeded all expectations.
Her influence is frequently cited in discussions of the WNBA’s current growth arc, which now includes newly announced expansion franchises in Cleveland, Toronto, Portland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. These ownership groups each paid $250 million to join the league, capitalizing on the popularity of Clark and fellow young headliners Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers.
The league’s expansion represents more than just geographic growth. It signals a fundamental shift in how professional women’s basketball is valued, both culturally and financially. Clark’s ability to draw crowds like the one in Boston demonstrates the appetite for women’s sports when given a proper platform and promotion.
