Colin Cowherd Sets the Record Straight: Defends Caitlin Clark and Calls Out Kelsey Plum

There are very few sports commentators who spark conversation quite like Colin Cowherd. Known for his sharp takes and willingness to swim against the current, Cowherd once again found himself at the center of a swirling sports debate—this time, taking on two of women’s basketball’s biggest names: Kelsey Plum and Caitlin Clark.

This week, a viral clip began making the rounds: Kelsey Plum, the prolific Las Vegas Aces guard and two-time WNBA champion, addressed the media with a comment many interpreted as a not-so-veiled critique of Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark. The context? A question about Clark’s near-constant media coverage, her impact on the league, and whether veterans felt overshadowed or slighted.

Plum, ever the competitor, didn’t mince words. She gestured to the years of hard work by WNBA players before Clark’s arrival and suggested much of the hype around Clark was premature and, perhaps, a little disrespectful to the game’s established stars.

Enter Colin Cowherd, never shy about tackling controversial issues head-on. On his nationally syndicated show, The Herd, Cowherd devoted a lengthy segment to the growing dialogue, and he made it clear: in his view, Kelsey Plum needed to “pump the brakes” and recognize what Clark brings not just to the court, but to women’s basketball as a whole.

The “Resentment” Factor

“I get it,” Cowherd began, “You’ve got veterans—Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, some real ballers in the WNBA—who’ve built up this league working their butts off, and suddenly Caitlin Clark shows up and is getting more headlines than half the league combined.”

He continued, “But let’s not pretend this is unique to the WNBA or to Clark. Sports have always had their breakout stars. Jeter in New York. LeBron before he played a pro minute. The sport catapults on that star power.”

Cowherd’s point? It isn’t about disrespecting those who came before. Rather, it’s about a league adapting to a meteoric new talent that brings outsized attention—and, crucially, revenue.

The Clark Effect

Since her debut with the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark—already a household name after her iconic run at the University of Iowa—has done more than tally impressive statistics. She’s sold out arenas, set TV ratings records, and brought a whole new audience to the WNBA.

Cowherd outlined Clark’s early achievements: “Caitlin Clark has set ticket sales records everywhere she’s played. Opponents’ arenas double their attendance when she’s in town. This is the LeBron effect for women’s basketball. The Steph Curry effect.”

He continued, “The interest in Caitlin Clark is not manufactured. It’s not a media conspiracy. It’s real consumers, it’s dollars, it’s eyeballs. If you love the WNBA, how could you not be thrilled?”

This, Cowherd argued, is the crux of his defense of Clark. For too long, he claimed, sports media—especially around women’s leagues—complained of low engagement, stagnant interest. “When you get a crossover star, you nurture that,” he insisted. “You don’t knock her down because she hasn’t paid her dues in the same way. She’s growing the dues. She’s building you a bigger stage.”

Plum’s Position: Respect the Journey

To be fair to Kelsey Plum, her comments reflected a sentiment felt in many professional circles: respect for the journey. “Those of us who have been here—grinding, growing the game day by day—sometimes we feel overlooked,” Plum shared in her interview.

This is, in many ways, the classic dynamic in sports—and workplaces at large. The veterans who laid the foundation sometimes bristle when a rookie steals the spotlight. Cowherd, however, believes this mentality is counterproductive: “Growth in sports comes from seizing the moment. Clark is that moment. Be thrilled she’s here.”

He underscored, “Plum has every right to be proud of her journey. But you don’t lift yourself up by belittling new stars. You lift the sport with them.”

The Bottom Line: It’s About the Game

Cowherd wrapped his diatribe with a medicine dropper of tough love: “Kelsey Plum is a great. Let’s be clear. She’s an absolute dog on the court. But this isn’t the time for division. This is the time for unity. Every ticket sold, every kid who buys a Clark jersey, is a win for everyone in this league.”

He pointed to parallels in men’s sports. “When Zion Williamson was drafted by the Pelicans, nobody said, ‘Hey, what about Jrue Holiday?’ When Shohei Ohtani signed with the Dodgers, what, the rest of the roster complained?”

Cowherd’s argument: The best leagues foster their stars, push them front and center, and then allow others to ride the wave. “No other sport cannibalizes its own stars like we sometimes see in women’s basketball. It’s time to embrace the big moment.”

Clark’s Response: Grace and Growth

For her part, Clark has continued to approach the ordeal with poise. She’s given kudos to the “amazing women” who paved the path before her, and has consistently credited her teammates and coaches at every opportunity.

“She’s humble, she works hard, she’s coachable,” Cowherd noted. “That’s how you want your star.”

The Verdict: Respect All, Celebrate Growth

The sports world thrives on heated debates, passionate fans, and generational divides. But as Colin Cowherd so eloquently put it, this is not a zero-sum game. “Women’s basketball,” he quipped, “is on the cusp of something really special. Don’t self-sabotage. Embrace the stardom, lift each other up, and watch as a rising tide lifts all boats.”

So as the WNBA season unfolds, one thing is clear: with stars like Plum and Clark pulling in new fans and new dollars, the game is in good hands—provided everyone’s willing to play as a team, on and off the court.