A Viral Hot Take Reignites the Caitlin Clark Debate
After the Las Vegas Aces suffered a 109–78 blowout loss to the Minnesota Lynx. A’ja Wilson, a two-time WNBA champ and three-time MVP, put up a modest 15 points with three rebounds and assists. While not a poor stat line, it’s a dip compared to her dominant average of 22.0 points per game.
But it wasn’t just her performance that caught fans’ attention. Former podcast co-host Jaime Lardis threw fuel on a long-running fire with her post: “I think we can all say A’ja Wilson is not the face of the WNBA.”
That single take revived the polarizing debate: Who is the face of the WNBA?
Read More: WNBA Players Give Caitlin Clark a Hilarious New Nickname
Clark’s Star Power vs. Wilson’s Dominance
Statistically, Wilson and Napheesa Collier are the league’s best performers. But the biggest spotlight this season has undeniably followed Caitlin Clark. From rookie of the year to All-WNBA First Team, Clark led the league in assists and drained logo-range threes like it was routine.
Angel Reese also had a breakout year, leading in rebounds and setting records for double-doubles. But the league’s historic surge in attention coincides with Clark’s arrival. Viewership, jersey sales, and ticket prices all soared during her games and have dropped noticeably during her injury absence.
Case in point: All-Star Game viewership fell by 36% without Clark, and Fever-Sky ticket prices plummeted 71% after her injury was announced.
Social media reactions to Lardis’ claim were blunt:
“She’s just the best player in the W… the face is CC.”
“Nobody even knew she [Wilson] existed till CC showed up on the scene.”
“The only one that moves the needle is CC.”
While many agree that Wilson is the best player, Clark is the one who puts the WNBA in headlines and fills arenas.
A’ja Wilson might be the league’s top athlete, but when it comes to visibility and cultural impact, Caitlin Clark is the name fans and media can’t stop talking about.
