Look, sports debates can get heated. But say Caitlin Clark makes her team worse? That’s asking for trouble. And that’s exactly what ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck did, on national TV, no less.
The Indiana Fever just beat the brakes off the Las Vegas Aces, 81-54, on July 3. That’s two blowout wins in a row against top-tier teams, including the Minnesota Lynx in the Commissioner’s Cup Final. And they’ve done it without their superstar guard, Caitlin Clark, who’s been sidelined with a groin injury.
While most fans praise the team’s depth and growth, Peck stirred the pot on SportsCenter. She suggested the Fever looked more dangerous without Clark and yes, more dangerous for him, of course.
“I think that Indiana is even more dangerous when Caitlin Clark doesn’t play,” Peck said on July 3, according to a post by Ken Swift on X. “She’s a ball-dominant guard. The ball is in her hands a lot, so you know what you need to try to take away.”
ESPN’s Carolyn Peck says the Fever are more dangerous WITHOUT Caitlin Clark 💀💀💀
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) July 4, 2025
Their hatred toward CC needs to be studied 😭pic.twitter.com/HhrXl6gXlB
She then credited players like Kelsey Mitchell, Aari McDonald, and Aliyah Boston for stepping up, saying the Fever are “a threat” defensively.
Caitlin Clark Fans Aren’t Having It
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The reaction online? Brutal. Fans wasted no time tearing into Peck’s take, and they didn’t hold back. Many are calling for a boycott of ESPN altogether.
“Who watches ESPN bro? Boycott that useless network,” one fan wrote on X.
Who watches ESPN bro?
— Jokicism 🃏 (@jokicgoatic15) July 4, 2025
Boycott that useless network.
Another said, “We gotta stop letting some people stop talking basketball.”
We gotta stop letting some people stop talking basketball pic.twitter.com/VZOhBQzbbQ
— E-Man (@WigginsWick22) July 4, 2025
But the loudest voices came from Clark’s massive fanbase, who saw the comment as unnecessary shade toward the player who’s brought the WNBA more eyes than ever before.
“Crazy levels of hate for the person who brought WNBA to relevancy,” another fan chimed in.
Crazy levels of hate for the person who brought wnba to relevancy
— Points Props (@PointsProps) July 4, 2025
To be fair, Indiana has looked solid without Clark, going 3-1 during her absence. But they’re still only 5-4 in games she hasn’t played. And Clark, despite some shooting struggles (39% FG, 29.5% 3PT), remains one of the most dynamic guards in the league.
This isn’t about pretending the Fever can’t win without her. It’s about ignoring how much better they can be with her. That’s the bigger picture, and the one most fans seem to see more clearly than ESPN does right now.
Also Read: Indiana Fever Release Brutal Update On Caitlin Clark That No One Is Going To Like
