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NFL teams don’t need a No. 1 receiver and here’s why nfl,teams,don,t,need,a,no,receiver,and,here,s,why,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,dot-com-grid-coverage

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Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers is one of the NFL’s most highly-regarded young quarterbacks, and that’s in part because of the performance he put on in the second half of the 2023 season. From Week 10 through the Packers’ 24-21 divisional round loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Love completed 254 of 374 passes (67.9%) for 2,904 yards (7.8 yards per attempt), 25 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 107.7.

Moreover, Love did all of that without the benefit of what most people would consider a true No. 1 receiver. The Packers did have estimable targets in Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Tucker Kraft, and Dontayvion Wicks, but there’s nobody in that receiver/tight end group who scares opposing defenses to the point where defenses will be automatically arrayed against them.

And furthermore, that’s the way Love wants it.

“I think you don’t have to have a No. 1 receiver,” Love said on June 4. “I think it works out well when you can spread the ball out and you’ve got different guys making different plays and you can put them in different areas.

“I think it puts a lot more stress on the defense and the calls that they can get in, so I think in the long run it helps us not having a No. 1 guy, a true No. 1 guy, but I think all those guys can step up and be the one any given day.”

For Love, it gives him the freedom to hit the guy who’s open in the progression, as opposed to leaning too often on the alpha dog.

“I can just play the play.”

During an appearance on Colin Cowherd’s show on July 19, Tom Brady presented the hypothetical alternative: What if you have a No. 1 receiver, and you have to throttle your entire passing game around him?

“You always felt like you had to do something to get them the ball,” Brady said about the specter of a true No. 1 guy. “I want him to keep running hard. I want him to be ready for when the ball does come.”

“The last thing you want is your No. 1 receiver to go two-and-a-half quarters into a game and not see a ball… ‘cause he’s going to get discouraged.”

“He’s got to go out there and break the huddle, run out 25 yards to his alignment, run down the field as fast as he can and try to get open, then back to the huddle. It’s a lot of effort that he’s putting in to not getting the ball… reward that guy earlier in the game.”

It’s interesting that for the most part, Brady got his thing done at a GOAT level without the benefit of a true No.1 receiver. Yes, he had Randy Moss for a few seasons, and there was Rob Gronkowski at his best, but the best quarterback ever to play the position had as many seasons without those force multipliers as he did with them.

Brady’s comments about how that true alpha receiver affects the quarterback’s mindset are interesting in that the NFL seems to be trending away from the No. 1 receiver as a must.

How do we define a ‘No. 1 receiver’?

True No. 1 receivers aren’t always aligned outside in isolated situations, but there needs to be enough of that to make it obvious that this is the guy. They must be able to beat press coverage at the line of scrimmage, and they need to be able to run away from tight match coverage against the NFL’s best cornerbacks. If they’re bracketed by an opposing defense, they must have answers against it. And whether it’s through demon speed or incredible route acumen (ideally both), they need to be the one guy their quarterback can always go to.

Here’s the problem: It doesn’t always work. And even if it does, how many true top guys are there at any given point in the league? Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings. Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals. Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins. Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders. Depending on how broad you want to be with the definition, there are at most maybe 10-15 receivers in the league at any time who are true field-tilters in that sense.

NFL teams are realizing this, and instead of going all in on one guy in the hope that he’s The Guy, they’re moving their resources around, and relying more on advanced schemes and concerts to get it done.

Making No. 1 receivers out of the aggregate

“It’s more about the collective unit of all those guys and just the rapport that they’re building with Jordan throughout the course of the offseason,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said of his receiver group, right around the time Love made his interesting proclamation. “I’m excited to get to training camp with them.

“All those guys had their moments where they were the leading receiver in a game. I feel really good about the collective unit. The hardest part is we feel so good about them, it’s hard to get everybody the amount of touches that you’d like to get, but that’s a good problem to have.”

It’s a good problem to have when you’re not dependent on one receiver, and you can scheme your receivers open to their best abilities. Last season, Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs tied for the Packers’ lead in receptions on passes of 20 or more air yards – nine each, and on 19 targets each. LaFleur used Reed’s sneaky get-up speed to exploit opposing defenses in motion concepts, as shown on this 32-yard catch against the Bears in the regular-season finale.

Doubs got more outside targets than Reed did, and his ability to leverage his route precision against cornerbacks and safeties made him an ideal foil in that regard. Here against the Dallas Cowboys in last season’s wild-card win, the Packers ran a similar concept with Reed running motion. But in this case, Doubs ran the out-cut at 15 yards while Reed and Bo Melton ran the vertical routes. It was a great beater for the Cover-3 defense the Cowboys were running, and it resulted in a 39-yard gain. Is the lack of a No. 1 receiver a freeing component for the Packers’ offense? The tape seems to back it up.

You can win a Super Bowl (several, actually) without an alpha dog

The Kansas City Chiefs just won their third Super Bowl in the last five seasons, and without Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, they might not have even made the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes had to make a lot of chicken salad out of other things in the 2023 campaign, because outside of Travis Kelce, it could be argued that the Chiefs didn’t even have a consistent No. 2 receiver. The Chiefs tried to bring more to that equation in free agency with Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, and in the draft with Texas’ Xavier Worthy, but it remains to be seen whether either Brown or Worthy can be an alpha dog in Andy Reid’s offense.

It also remains to be seen whether Reid sees it as a priority.

Last season, per Sports Info Solutions, the Chiefs led the NFL in dropbacks with pre-snap motion with 546. Mahomes completed 336 passes in 489 attempts with motion for 3,389 yards, 1,219 air yards, 23 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and a passer rating of 109.9. Without motion, Mahomes completed 169 of 257 passes for 1,845 yards, 850 air yards, 10 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a passer rating of 88.4. The Chiefs knew they didn’t have the kinds of receivers who could consistently separate without schematic help, so they gave them as much schematic help as possible.

Mahomes also had the NFL’s most passing attempts with three tight ends on the field – 46, of which he completed 30 for 391 yards, 115 air yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 88.2. Not the best numbers, but the point remains: If the Chiefs didn’t have ideal targets, they were going to do their level best to transcend that with deployment and scheme.

How else do coaches work around a lack of alpha receivers?

San Francisco 49ers fans might argue the point that their team doesn’t have a true No. 1 receiver, but unless you think that Brandon Aiyuk is one, it’s a tough point to contend. I think that Aiyuk is an ideal 1A receiver – he does a ton in Kyle Shanahan’s concepts, and one of those concepts is condensed splits that allow receivers to find more room on the outside of the formation. Per Pro Football Focus, the 49ers led the league with 829 snaps in formations where receivers were tighter to the formation. The Los Angeles Rams ranked second with 730, and that’s another team where the No. 1 receiver argument becomes complicated.

285 of San Francisco’s passing plays came out of condensed formations last season, and the reasoning was clear. Brock Purdy had 20 explosive completions out of those tighter splits in the 2023 season.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has been turning down head coaching jobs of late – perhaps because he realizes that as much as he’s done with his playbook to amplify Detroit’s offense, he’ll be able to pick his spot in a relative sense. Now, some might say that Amon-Ra St. Brown is a No. 1 receiver. The Lions certainly paid him that way with the four-year, $120.01-million contract extension with $77 million guaranteed St. Brown got in April, but St. Brown presents an Aiyuk-like case of a very good receiver whose efforts are amplified by scheme. That’s not to denigrate Brown at all – it’s more a realistic analysis of his attributes.

In Johnson’s offense, the Lions ran a lot of 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three receivers) and 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two receivers). They ranked third in 3×1 formation snaps behind the Chiefs and the Washington Commanders with 515, and they ranked third in 2×2 formation snaps behind the Philadelphia Eagles and the Indianapolis Colts with 627. Factor in Johnson’s multi-faceted run game, and there isn’t one book on the Lions’ offense – making everything more difficult to read.

And in the end, maybe that’s the whole point in today’s NFL. More than ever, the league is about spacing and matchups more than this set of routes versus that kind of coverage. NFL offensive coordinators are trying everything possible to win those particular battles, and without a true No. 1 receiver, and all the advantages and limitations therein, maybe it’s that much more difficult for defenses to understand what a passing game is trying to accomplish.

In a game where milliseconds play out like minutes, any kind of hesitation is a big deal.

So yes, it’s great to have a No. 1 receiver if you can identify, develop, and keep one. But more and more, the NFL’s best offensive minds are looking for workarounds to that formerly incontrovertible ideal.

Bronny James’ agent told teams don’t draft him or he’s going to Australia, per report bronny,james,agent,told,teams,don,t,draft,him,or,he,s,going,to,australia,per,report,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-draft,draftkings

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During Day 2 of the 2024 NBA Draft, ESPN analyst and former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers dropped a bombshell of a rumor surrounding guard Bronny James, via his agent Rich Paul.

James, a guard from USC, is currently projected to be selected at the 55th pick, when the Lakers are on the clock. According to Myers, Paul is telling teams picking before the Lakers not to take James, pulling the strings in order to get James playing with his father LeBron in the NBA.

If Bronny is in fact selected by the Lakers, he and his father would be the first father-son duo to play in the NBA at the same time. While this is a big announcement regarding the rest of the NBA Draft, this isn’t unusual. There have been reports and rumors in previous years of players forcing their way onto teams via their agents telling teams not to draft them. Perhaps the most famous example also involves the Lakers, with Austin Reaves telling the Detroit Pistons not to draft him so he could choose the opportunity in Los Angeles on a two-way contract.

Especially in the modern second round, players can force their way onto teams who need roster spots filled, and Bronny is simply going to be the next player who does that.

As polarizing as Bronny is, this more than likely will only fuel the flames of detractors around his draft stock. The media circus surrounding him will only increase as the rumors swirl with more intensity, taking away from what could turn into a pretty solid NBA career. This rumor, while valid reporting, probably won’t smother those flames anytime soon.

Many NBA Draft pundits have James’ stock coming around the late areas of the second round, but the question now is if teams will call Rich Paul’s bluff and pick James. I doubt it, because Paul is the head agent of Klutch Sports, arguably the most powerful agency in the NBA. If they upset Paul, they risk upsetting other major NBA players affiliated with Klutch Sports.

It’ll be interesting to see who picks James, and if he gets picked at all. Will James end up actually playing in Australia? It seems unlikely, but is apparently now on the table.

Alex Morgan didn’t make the U.S. Olympic women’s soccer roster. Here’s why alex,morgan,didn,t,make,the,u,s,olympic,women,s,soccer,roster,here,s,why,sbnation,com,front-page,soccer,united-states-womens-national-team,all-womens-sports,womens-soccer,uswnt-coverage

Alex Morgan didnt make the US Olympic womens soccer roster
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Alex Morgan will not represent the United States in a major international competition for the first time in nearly 20 years.

When the U.S. women’s national team heads to France later this month, Morgan, one of the best to wear the uniform, will not be on the plane as the team looks to chase gold at the upcoming Summer Games, after being left off women’s coach Emma Hayes’ 18-person roster.

Morgan who earned her first entry for the senior women’s roster in 2010, has been in 224 appearances for her country with 123 goals — and most notably would’ve been the only player on Hayes’ current roster with an Olympic gold medal.

On Wednesday, Morgan took to X, formerly known as Twitter to express her dismay but noted that she’s more than prepared to cheer on the squad from abroad.

“Today, I’m disappointed about not having the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage,” Morgan wrote. “This will always be a tournament that is close to my heart and I take immense pride anytime I put on the crest. In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team alongside the rest of our country.”

Morgan is one of the most prolific goalscorers in U.S. Soccer history — men or women — and was a part of the squad that captured a fourth gold medal at the 2012 Summer Games in London.

As for Hayes, she was matter-of-fact in her decision to leave Morgan off the Olympic roster, citing the number of players allowed on an Olympic roster (teams can carry just 16 field players and two goalkeepers) and her desire to “go in another direction.

“Her record speaks for itself,” Hayes said of Morgan during a virtual press conference on Wednesday. “But I wanted to go in another direction and select other players.”

The U.S. attacking corps features an all-NWSL collective who have found success this year for club and country. Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Crystal Dunn (Gotham FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars), Jaedyn Shaw, Morgan’s teammate on the San Diego Wave and most notably Sophia Smith, the latter who many consider next up in a long line of star USWNT forwards over the years.

There’s excitement around what Sophia Smith will bring in to the Olympics, the latest in a line of standout U.S. women’s forwards.
Photo by Erin Chang/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF

“I think the biggest factor is there are 16 outfield players to play a lot of games … over a 17-day period,” said Hayes. “But I also think, you know, there are players on the roster in the forward areas that are performing well, and, you know, the decision to take those players was one that we certainly deliberated over.”

Hayes who made her coaching debut on June 1, has had just two games — both against the same competition in South Korea to prepare for the Games and evaluate a roster she feels “is balanced.”

Fans will get a first look at the Olympic roster later this month in a pair of tune-up games against Mexico on July 13 (3:30 p.m. ET, TNT), and Costa Rica on June 16 (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT) before opening group play in the Olympics on July 25 against Zambia in Nice, France (3 p.m. ET, USA Network).

“Having a roster that could adapt is essential [as] you have a tight turnaround between games,” said Hayes. “Having players on the roster that could play more than one position mattered with squad depth. I’ve considered all the factors that we’re going to need throughout the Olympics and I think it’s a balanced roster; one that I’m really happy with.”

Don’t touch Bills players’ hair don,t,touch,bills,players,hair,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl

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The Buffalo Bills seem like they’re having fun this offseason. Despite entering a 2024 season filled with question marks, you could convince me that they’re the Super Bowl favorites just based off the vibes coming from the content they put out on social media.

However, if you learn one thing from watching the Bills’ social media content, it’s to never touch someone’s hair with some clippers and act like you gonna actually cut it.

See I feel the same way as Keon Coleman here. You’ll lose a finger trying to cut my hair and you’re not my barber. That’s disrespectful right there, because someone later also says something that I agree with: You let someone else cut your hair then you cheating on your barber. We don’t cheat around here, so that’s just not going to happen.

I appreciate everyone’s swift and decisive answers, because I absolutely agree with all of them. Don’t come near me with those clippers, man.

The story of baseball can’t be told without Willie Mays the,story,of,baseball,can,t,be,told,without,willie,mays,sbnation,com,front-page,mlb

The story of baseball cant be told without Willie Mays
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When someone who was larger than life passes on from this life, you often hear people say that it’s “impossible to put into words” just how important that particular person was. While that might be 100 percent true when it comes to the legendary Willie Mays, it’s also true that maybe words are the best way to talk about The Say Hey Kid and his impact on the game of baseball. Simply put, you can’t tell the story of baseball without talking about Willie Mays — it is impossible to overstate just how much of an impact he had on the game.

I could go on and on about his on-field exploits. If you’ve watched baseball on TV for, let’s say, the past 70 years then there’s a near 100 percent chance that y’all have seen the astonishing over-the-shoulder catch that he made in the abyss that was deep center field at the Polo Grounds during the 1954 World Series a million times now. Even now, watching him make that catch is just like how commentator Jack Brickhouse describes it: It’s like looking at an optical illusion.

It’s also one of those plays that only gets more impressive the more you watch baseball since it becomes clear that this isn’t the type of thing that happens often — or at all, really. Jim Edmonds made an absolutely incredible catch back in 1997 — a catch that was immediately compared to what Willie Mays had done 43 years earlier and both catches are still firmly implanted in every baseball fan’s imagination here in 2024. What sets Willie Mays apart from the rest of the pack is that if you ask him, that wasn’t even his best catch.

Instead, he told Bob Costas on MLB Network back in 2010 that his actual best catch happened on April 11, 1970. That was when he took flight and robbed not only Bobby Tolan of what would’ve at least been extra bases but he also robbed Bobby Bonds of making the catch on his own merits. That’s because Mays sped towards where the ball was going to land, took flight and made like the Jumpman logo about 18 years before the Jumpman logo came into existence in order to rob the home run and keep the Giants up 1-0 at that point in the game. If the man himself says that this was the best catch that he ever made, then who are we to argue with him? I’m not about to argue with Willie Mays!

The fact that Mays himself was 100 percent certain that he was going to make that catch says everything about the unique type of ballplayer that Mays was — right along with the fact that both he and Bonds stayed in the game after Mays essentially knocked himself out while making the catch. Everything about that sequence of events shows just how much Willie Mays loved baseball and the fact that we’re still talking about it to this day is an example of how the game loved him back. It’s also amazing to consider that he did this when he was 39 years old!

The circus catch took place during the season before his age-40 season in 1971, which is when he proceeded hit .271/.425/.482 with a .406 wOBA, 18 home runs and a 157 wRC+ for the season. His 5.9 fWAR as a 40-year-old in 1971 is still the best single season by a player 40-or-older in MLB history. Most baseball players could only dream of producing a six-win season at any point in their career but Willie Mays was not like “most baseball players.” There was only one Say Hey Kid and Willie Mays absolutely left a unique mark on the game of baseball like few other players could.

Photo by Charles Hoff/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

When I say that the story of baseball can’t be told without Willie Mays, I really and truly mean it. If you want to talk about Barry Bonds and what he did to the record books, you can’t go long without mentioning that Willie Mays was his godfather and served as a constant source of wisdom and inspiration for the future career leader in home runs. If you want to talk about Ken Griffey Jr., it’s impossible to do so without eventually bringing up how The Say Hey Kid influenced The Kid on both a professional and a personal level. Griffey and Bonds are two absolute titans of the sport and as great as they were, they’ll also be the first two people to say that Willie Mays was the best to ever do it in the game of baseball.

The story of baseball also includes Negro League baseball and Willie Mays will forever be a part of that legacy as well. Even though he’s only credited with 13 games played in 1948 with the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League, those 13 games are now formally considered to be the beginning of Mays’ big league career. It would’ve been incredibly fitting to see Willie Mays in attendance for the big game at Rickwood Field on Thursday. It’s where the legend started his illustrious career and it would’ve been an incredible moment to see him get recognized at the newly-revitalized gem of a ballpark with the eyes of the baseball world set squarely upon Birmingham, Alabama.

Instead, the Rickwood game will now surely be a tribute to not just all of the Negro League baseball players from the past but it will especially serve as tribute to Willie Mays and the impact that he left on the sport of baseball. While he wouldn’t have been able to make the trip had he hung on for a bit longer, that doesn’t change the fact that he will be remembered like the baseball royalty that he was. The recognition that he will receive won’t be enough, just like the recognition that the baseball world gave him wasn’t enough even while he was still with us.

That’s not for lack of trying — I’m sure that whatever is in store for the game at Rickwood Field on Thursday will be spectacular and one good thing I can say about the culture of baseball is that Willie Mays definitely got his roses from the baseball community while he could still smell them. This sport truly idolizes its legends and Willie Mays was treated as such even long after he had retired. We’re talking about a legend who was banned from baseball for life for simply taking on a job as a part-time greeter at a casino, only to get reinstated (alongside Mickey Mantle) almost immediately as soon as Bowie Kuhn’s successor took the job. The new commissioner didn’t even make any changes to the rules or anything like that — this was just a case of restoring the feeling. Baseball just ain’t baseball without guys like Mickey Mantle and especially Willie Mays and that’s why they were both reinstated.

Willie Mays lived to be 93 and it’s obvious that he made the most of every single one of the years that was blessed to live for. There are very few baseball players who captured the imagination like The Say Hey Kid did when he played. He continued to live on as a legend long after he finished playing and to say that his impact on the game is still being felt to this day would be a complete and utter understatement. The game lost a legend with his passing but as the fictional version of Babe Ruth put it, “Legends never die.” As long as baseball exists then Willie Mays will be remembered. If you don’t believe me, then come back to this article in 2054 when they’re celebrating 100 years since that catch at the Polo Grounds and then we can chat again.

Brandon Aiyuk talks 49ers with Jayden Daniels: ‘They don’t want me back… I swear’ brandon,aiyuk,talks,ers,with,jayden,daniels,they,don,t,want,me,back,i,swear,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,draftkings

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The ongoing saga between Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers took a twist on Monday when video released was posted on TikTok of a conversation between Aiyuk and Jayden Daniels of the Commanders.

Admittedly this feels a little contrived. Even if you’re going to have this kind of private conversation about your contract situation, why would you allow it to be posted on your own TikTok account? Sure, it might be a way to pressure the 49ers into taking some action and move the extension along — but it could also sour whatever progress has been made.

There’s been a lot of talk about whether Aiyuk will be on the Niners long term. This year he’s playing on his fifth-year option, but after drafting Ricky Pearsall in the 2024 NFL Draft the team seems poised to part with either Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel moving forward.

It’s been reported that Aiyuk is seeking a contract in the ballpark of what other top receivers have gotten, which would put him anywhere from the $30-40M mark in AAV. That’s no necessarily an unfair ask given his recent performance, but it’s unclear if paying a receiver big money meshes with the 49ers philosophy.

Time will tell how this plays out, but it appears this mess is going to get uglier.

Rory McIlroy can’t convert chances in U.S. Open pursuit rory,mcilroy,can,t,convert,chances,in,u,s,open,pursuit,sbnation,com,golf,us-open-golf,golf-majors,golf-pga-tour,golf-news

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When Rory McIlroy prematurely walked in his final birdie of the day on Thursday evening, the talk of the golf world was, ‘Could this be the week?’

After all, McIlroy has opened a major with a bogey-free round three times before, and he has gone on to win each of those times. He did so again at Pinehurst No. 2 on Thursday, firing a clean, 5-under 65 to share the lead with Patrick Cantlay through 18 holes.

But he could not convert any opportunities a day later, when he carded a disappointing 2-over 72. His poor Friday round dropped him back to 3-under for the championship.

“Obviously not quite as well as [Thursday], but I feel like the golf course plays a little more difficult, even though we were off in the morning,” McIlroy explained afterward.

“Some of the hole locations were definitely a little tougher. Sort of had to have your wits about you.”

McIlroy lost his wits for a brief moment on the par-3 17th, when he putted his birdie attempt off the front of the green. That brought a double-bogey into play, as his third shot had to climb the steep false front that guards the front of the green. But instead of making a bigger mess of things, McIlroy chipped in for a wild par.

“Overall, I felt like I did a pretty good job of keeping some of the mistakes off the scorecard,” McIlroy opined.

“I wish I had converted a couple more chances. Hit the ball pretty well. I think I only missed one fairway. So, I had plenty of opportunities. Yeah, I wasn’t quite as good with the putter today. Still, overall, we are in a great position going into the weekend.”

McIlroy lost 2.5 strokes on the greens on Friday as he failed to convert multiple looks at birdie. He could not get into a rhythm with his putter, unlike Thursday, when he had an above-average day on the greens.

That trend started early and often: McIlroy missed an 11-footer for birdie at 10, and then missed a par-putt from five feet on 11. Three holes later, McIlroy missed another birdie attempt from 11 feet, increasing his frustrations. He then bogeyed the par-3 15th. Another missed birdie putt followed at the 1st, this time from 10 feet.

At least he salvaged these misses with a birdie at the par-4 3rd, his first of the day. But that proved to be his last one, too.

“I was 2-over pretty early. My goal going into that second nine was if I could get it back to even for the day, I would have been pretty happy,” McIlroy added.

“Got that birdie on 3. I was trying to claw one back there. Ultima,tely I gave one back again.”

McIlroy closed his round with a bogey at the par-3 9th and walked off with his head hung low. But he hit the ball well from tee to green again on Friday. He even led the field in strokes gained off the tee.

Yet, his putter failed him the most, and if he wants to break his decade-long major drought and win the U.S. Open, he will need his flat stick to show up—like it did on Thursday.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

Caitlin Clark doesn’t want to be held responsible for the worst takes about her caitlin,clark,doesn,t,want,to,be,held,responsible,for,the,worst,takes,about,her,sbnation,com,front-page,wnba,womens-sports,all-womens-sports,wnba-content,dot-com-grid-coverage

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Media sessions have been a crowded event for the Fever this season, but it’s had little to do with the on-court performance of one of the league’s worst teams. Instead, it’s often been about Caitlin Clark and the storylines that have followed her, from Chennedy Carter’s hard foul to the rookie sensation being left off Team USA.

Thursday was no different. Cameras flocked to Gainbridge Fieldhouse not because the Fever were returning home for the first time in two weeks, but because of another storyline about Clark away from the court.

During Fever shootaround on Thursday morning in Indiana, Clark was asked by Jim Trotter of The Athletic for her thoughts on her name being used in “culture wars” that have largely sparked up recently after she was left off the U.S. Olympic roster heading to Paris, creating a firestorm of reactions from fans to politicians alike.

While her response to questions about that could be viewed as an attempt to avoid further stoking the flames, it didn’t do much to smother them, either.

Clark has reiterated multiple times throughout her rookie season that she is both not on social media, and does not communicate much with those around the league, outside of former Iowa teammate Kate Martin. Her focus has been on her Fever teammates and working on improving on the court.

But if one felt like that answer left something to be desired, they weren’t alone. In fact, Dijonai Carrington of the Connecticut Sun took particular issues with Clark’s response and tweeted about it.

To be clear — and to push back on some more bad faith narratives — not every WNBA player feels that way. In an appearance on “Podcast P with Paul George,” Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally offered empathy for Clark.

“It’s really, really hard to put that much pressure on a young woman to be a spokesperson for things that the United States, and really globally and historically, we have struggled with as an entire society,” Sabally said. “Can you talk about white privilege? Yes you can. But do you have to be the spokesperson for that? I don’t think so. If that doesn’t come from her, I think it’s unfair to put that burden on someone.”

It’s also entirely believable that Clark hasn’t seen much of the debate or culture wars surrounding her name, considering how little she says she is on social media. But it’s also entirely fair to expect more out of her in denouncing any sort of bigotry as well.

While Clark may not be responsible for how her name is used, it’s also naive to ignore how it’s been used and what has happened to those who have fallen into her orbit this season. Even if Clark doesn’t regularly use social media, the likes of the Sky’s Chennedy Carter and Carrington, who also went somewhat viral on Monday in her game against the Fever after mocking Clark following a foul call, do.

And those players have been subjected to some of the most extreme nastiness that comes with being online. They’ve been the ones that have dealt with the racism and bigotry that Carrington tweeted about. The Sky, for example, had a man wait outside their hotel to harass them as they exited the bus just days after Carter’s hard foul against Clark.

Even Clark’s teammate Aliyah Boston found herself in the crossfire. After struggling to start the season, Boston deleted her social media off her phone due to all the hate levied her way.

All of this has long since crossed the line past normal basketball discourse to become something much worse. Chiney Ogwumike, a former WNBA player turned analyst for ESPN, has offered impassioned pleas on multiple occasions, speaking out against the polarization around the league. The conversation has veered away from sports and into far more serious discussions about race, gender and sexuality, with Clark’s name right at the center of many of them.

Clark didn’t ask to be involved in so much of this. She didn’t ask to be fouled by Carter. She didn’t ask to be left off Team USA. And she isn’t asking for her name to be used in those aforementioned culture wars, either.

But while Clark can sit back and not hear the noise, many around her, friend or foe, don’t necessarily have that luxury. And silence from Clark not only doesn’t help the issue, it could be perceived by some as a silent endorsement of the actions.

Posed with a chance to address the topic again prior to Thursday’s game against the Dream, Clark had a much stronger response to a question from James Boyd of The Athletic.

Given the benefit of hindsight, Clark likely would have gone with the second response to the first question to avoid the situation. Whether the delay was a matter of realizing she needed to word her answer better, or the more direct question leading to a more clear, direct response, Clark’s comments pregame were much more forceful, even if they still likely won’t satisfy those who feel she hasn’t done enough to call out those using her name to fuel racist and homophobic narratives.

It’s also worth remembering that Clark is going through all of this for the first time. She’s a 22-year-old rookie who was thrust into the spotlight for the WNBA. She’s been cast into a role as a spokesperson for issues that existed long before her, and may not yet be comfortable with that status.

College offered a sort of insulation that led to her not being quite at the center of these matters as often, save for perhaps her showdown in the national title game against Angel Reese and LSU.

But Iowa is in her past. Clark is one of the faces of the WNBA and, fair or foul, her words — or, in some cases, her lack of them — are under a new level of scrutiny. It’s the blessing and the curse of living a dream in the public eye.

Clark shouldn’t be responsible for the worst takes about her. But as she seemingly learned on Thursday, silence about them isn’t the correct approach either.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.