Pat McAfee took to social media on Monday to apologize for referring to Indiana Fever basketball star Caitlin Clark as a “white bitch” during a segment on his ESPN show.
“I shouldn’t have used ‘white bitch’ as a descriptor of Caitlin Clark,” McAfee wrote on Twitter. “No matter the context.. even if we’re talking about race being a reason for some of the stuff happening.. I have way too much respect for her and women to put that into the universe. My intentions when saying it were complimentary just like the entire segment but, a lot of folks are saying that it certainly wasn’t at all. That’s 100% on me and for that I apologize.”
McAfee noted he had also sent a personal apology to Clark, and that the rest of his speech was “still alllllll facts.”
Earlier on Monday, McAfee appeared on his ESPN show arguing that Clark is the singular reason behind the WBNA’s surge in popularity and addressing claims that her race is what sets her apart.
“What we’re trying to say is, what the WNBA currently has is what we like to describe as a cash cow. There is a superstar,” McAfee said. “But I would like the media people that continue to say, ‘This rookie class, this rookie class.’ Nah, just call it for what it is. There is one white bitch for the Indiana team who is a superstar.”
Clark was the No. 1 WNBA draft pick earlier this year, after rising to stardom while playing for the Indiana University Hawkeyes.
“Is there a chance people just enjoy watching her play basketball because of how electrifying she is, what she did what she stood for, how she went about going what she went for?” McAfee said. “Maybe. But instead, we have to hear people say we only like her because she’s white, and she’s only popular because the rest of the rookie class is doing what they’re doing. Well, that’s a bunch of bullshit and we think the WNBA — more specifically their refs — need to stop trying to screw her over at every single turn. What you have is somebody special, and we’re lucky she’s here in Indiana.”
Though his speech was complimentary, the pejorative term was met with backlash online.
“This is just completely unacceptable,” ESPN analyst Kim Adams wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Interested to see how ESPN handles it. And his entire argument is not conducive to anything going on in the WNBA right now. Just let the women hoop.”
ESPN did not immediately respond to The Hollywood Reporter‘s request for comment.
