Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark is by far the most popular player in the WNBA. Her endorsement deals, fanfare and other things say so. The former Iowa Hawkeyes legend has a huge following, one so big that it has Fox Sports analyst Nick Wright believing that she is actually more popular than many NBA players.
Jeff Teague Dispute’s Magnitude Of Cailtin Clark’s Globa Appeal
Former NBA player Jeff Teague isn’t buying Wright’s assessment and definitely had a rebuttal.
Jeff Teague says he doesn’t believe that Caitlin Clark is more famous than Wemby, Tatum, and similar NBA stars when it comes to overall public recognition, but he believes that if she released her own signature shoe, it would outsell theirs.” pic.twitter.com/wmwgbZn80Y
— joebuddenclips/fanpage (@chatnigga101) February 19, 2026
Speaking this week on his “Club 520 Podcast,” the former NBA champion Teague said, “Caitlin Clark’s big in the States. Wemby big everywhere.”
He then referenced seeing Clark at an event once and says it took a bit for him to even recognize her.
“When she was behind the bench at Pike I didn’t even recognize her. I didn’t know it was her until she was at the door,” Teague recalled.
Teague Says Caitlin Clark Signature Shoe Will Outsell NBA Players
Teague did mention that he believes if she released a signature shoe that it would outsell those of NBA players, but in his eyes that doesn’t make her more popular.
Nick Wright Is High On Clark
Speaking on his show “What’s Wright,” the very opinionated shock jock analyst stirred the pot earlier in the week with his comparison of Clark to NBA players.
“The single most famous basketball player under the age of 35 is Caitlin Clark. The three most famous basketball players right now are 41-year-old LeBron James and then 37, 38-year-old, Steph and KD [Durant],” Wright said.
“Anthony Edwards, Luka [Dončić], [Nikola] Jokić, Giannis [Antetokounmpo], those guys have not ascended to that level, and that is the major issue facing the league that they don’t right now have a solve to, and they’re hoping [Wembanyama] will solve it,” Wright said.
Clark Is WNBA’s Cash Cow
While many will dispute it, Clark is the driving force behind a dramatic rise in popularity and visibility the WNBA is experiencing, and its players are aiming for in their new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
And yes others like A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Angel Reese and many, many more have all played a role in the league’s rise, it’s Clark who’s been the driving force behind the record-breaking viewership, increased attendance and merchandise sales.
Fans Chime In Via X
“She’s not even the most famous women’s basketball player but yall confuse fame with popularity,” one fan said.
“Only for white America is she popular,” another fan said.
“Nobody cares about CC anymore. Her time came and went,” another fan quipped.
“Aja Wilson, then CC. Don’t disagree with the argument, though,” a fan mentioned.
Clark Looking For Bounce Back Season
After winning WNBA Rookie of the Year, and finishing fourth in MVP as a rookie, Clark managed to play in just 13 games due to multiple lower-body injuries during her second season.
As she enters her third season, she’ll be looking to get back into form and join a Fever team that was a surprising overtime loss away from the WNBA Finals last season.