Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian has commended the NBA for championing women’s sports by celebrating Caitlin Clark’s WNBA preseason debut with the Indian Fever.
Clark, the top overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, recently made her WNBA preseason debut for the Indiana Fever against the Dallas Wings before a sold-out crowd of 7,000 in Arlington, Texas.
She showcased her talent with 21 points, three rebounds, and two steals, translating her college success to the professional level. However, despite the 22-year-old’s valiant efforts, the Indiana Fever fell short, as the Dallas Wings eked out a 79-76 victory.
Following the game, the NBA’s social media account lauded Caitlin Clark’s exceptional WNBA preseason debut, celebrating her remarkable performance. Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian, a prominent advocate of women’s sports, expressed his delight at the NBA’s recognition of women’s sports.
“Even NBA account is hyped for women’s sports 😤 LFG,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Ohanian has been a strong supporter of Clark’s career, frequently celebrating her accomplishments on social media.
He recently reacted to Clark’s game-worn Iowa Hawkeye’s jersey receiving a $150,000 price tag, disclosing that he had advised the 22-year-old to preserve and label her gear to capitalize on its profits.
“While I think this is a great moment for game-worn community finally starting to recognize the value of women’s sports, I’ve told @CaitlinClark22 for over a year now to save & label all her own gear post-match. She knows the value — as should all athletes — and should keep it,” Serena Williams’ husband posted on X (formerly Twitter).
As such, the co-founder of Reddit was also thrilled to learn of reports that Clark’s Indiana Fever jersey outsold the Dallas Cowboys’ annual sales for 2023 in a single day.
“This was unnecessarily mean and I’m here for it,” he posted.
Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian: “If you’re mad about Caitlin Clark’s salary, go to a WNBA match”
Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian recently weighed in on Caitlin Clark’s reported eight-figure deal with Nike, contrasting it with her relatively low $76,000 Indiana Fever contract.
While he acknowledged the need to criticize the presiding institutions for this disparity, he also emphasized that fans hold a degree of responsibility.
“I just left Nike global headquarters, where Caitlin Clark allegedly has an eight-figure sneaker deal, which is amazing for her, but it seems weird juxtaposed with her $76,000 Indiana fever contract,” he said in a video on social media.
“Should you be upset at all the institutions around sports? Yes. Should you also be upset at fans? Yes,” he added.
Ohanian pointed out that with more brands investing in women’s basketball, the players’ salaries would also increase. He also urged fans to attend WNBA matches if they are dissatisfied with Clark’s salary.
“You’re seeing more brands coming in which means more dollars, fans are filling up stadiums, salaries for players are also going up commensurate with that. If you’re mad about Caitlin Clark’s salary, go to a WNBA match,” he said.
