‘Someone someday comes to their senses’: Linda Cohn fuels Caitlin Clark ‘ignored’ claims by Team USA teammates at World Cup

Indiana Fever's Caitlyn Clark (Image via Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Former ESPN sportscaster Linda Cohn has faced criticism after agreeing with fans who suggested Caitlin Clark is being left out by her Team USA teammates during the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. Cohn said Clark changes the way the floor looks when she has the ball because of her passing and shooting. Some fans went further, claiming players are deliberately avoiding Clark. Cohn responded to several of those comments, appearing to agree that there could be a problem. Her comments have added another layer to the ongoing discussion around Clark’s role with Team USA.

On her show, Cohn criticized teams for not moving the ball quickly when Clark is on the floor. She pointed out that Clark can create passing options and change the spacing of the offense as soon as she gets the ball.Fans in the comments then made stronger claims about Clark’s role. One user said they could not be convinced there was no agenda against the Indiana Fever star.Cohn replied:“It’s hard to argue.”Another user claimed that WNBA coaches and players do not want Clark to succeed. Cohn responded:“I’m just hoping someone someday comes to their senses!”A third commenter said game highlights showed players ignoring Clark when she was open and argued that it was hurting the team’s overall play.

Cohn agreed again, writing:“It’s becoming more and more obvious. CC is a very strong woman. I don’t know how she deals with all of it!”Another fan claimed that nobody, including the coach, wanted Clark to succeed. Cohn replied:“I was on to this early and sadly we are seeing this play out.”The comments have drawn attention because Cohn has already made strong claims about A’ja Wilson’s decision not to play for Team USA at the World Cup. Cohn previously suggested that Wilson stayed away because she did not want the tournament to become “the Caitlin Clark Show.”South Carolina coach Dawn Staley pushed back against that suggestion. Cohn has defended her position by saying she is trying to point out media bias, but critics argue that agreeing with fan claims about players deliberately working against Clark goes beyond discussing media coverage.

Clark’s performance has also become part of the discussion during her first World Cup appearance. After a strong opening game against China, she scored one point against Italy while going 0-for-6 from the field.Against Czechia on Monday, Clark finished with nine points and made only one of her six attempts from three-point range. Team USA still won the game comfortably, 105-64.Head coach Kara Lawson did not appear concerned about Clark’s shooting. Instead, she focused on the guard’s decision-making and passing.“I think Caitlin's done a solid job in this tournament taking the right shots at the right times. That's normal for any shooter. They have stretches where you're hot, stretches where you're a little bit cold, but she provides a great playmaking aspect to our game on our team.”

Lawson also noted that Clark is adjusting to the differences between the WNBA and FIBA basketball. She expects the young guard to find her shooting rhythm as the tournament continues.While Cohn’s comments have fueled discussion about Clark’s treatment on the court, Lawson’s view has been different. The Team USA coach has focused on what Clark contributes beyond scoring and said her playmaking remains important to the team.