With the WNBA season currently on hold, Caitlin Clark is spending her time overseas for Milan Fashion Week.
Clark, the No. 1 pick from the 2024 WNBA Draft, was spotted at the Prada show on Thursday afternoon. It turns out she was sitting next to Olympic skier Eileen Gu, who just captured three medals at the Milan Cortina Winter Games.
“I’m the most decorated female freeskier in history, I think that’s answer in and of itself,” she told a reporter who questioned her performance at the 2026 Olympics. “How do I say this? Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder because every medal is equally hard for me, but everybody else’s expectations rise, right? And so the ‘two medals lost’ situation to be quite frank with you I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing, I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before, and so I think that is more than good enough. But thank you.”
Gu posted a selfie of her and Clark on her Instagram Story. It didn’t take long for that photo to go viral.
Feb 16, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Silver medalist Ailing Eileen Gu of the People’s Republic of China celebrates during the medal ceremony for the women’s big air final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images© Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images.
(© Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images.)
Some fans had an issue with Clark posing for pictures with Gu at Thursday’s show. Others, meanwhile, thought it was pretty cool seeing two elite athletes
“Acting buddy buddy with this woman, is not a good PR move by Clark,” one person wrote on social media.
“Who else wants a collab between these two icons ASAP,” a fan asked.
“They’re a perfect duo,” another fan declared.
“It’s assigned seating. At a sponsored event. Clark has a contract with Prada. Not much she can do in this instance,” a social media user wrote.
Eileen Gu has faced plenty of criticism.
Just a few days ago, former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason called Gu an “insufferable” individual.
“She’s a very attractive woman and she’s extremely bright, she went to Stanford. But if you listen to her post participation interviews, she’s insufferable,” Esiason said. “It’s hard to listen to. But then again, it’s an individual sport and an individual person talking about herself as opposed to talking about her teammates and the support she receives.”
Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom, on the other hand, accused Gu of being a “traitor” because she represented China, not the United States, at the Olympics.
“I’m just going to say it, she’s a traitor,” Freedom said. “She was born in America. She was raised in America, lives in America, and chooses to compete against her own country for, literally, the worst human rights abuser on the planet, China. She built her fame in a free country, and then chooses to represent an authoritarian regime.”
Despite all the backlash that she’s received over the past few months, Gu continues to stand tall.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Feb 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.