Dave Portnoy has branded Sunny Hostin a ‘racist’ after The View co-host controversially claimed Caitlin Clark is only popular because of ‘white privilege’.
On Wednesday’s edition of the ABC talk show, Hostin divided opinion by
discussing the ‘privileges’ that Clark – who broke numerous records in her historic college basketball career with lowa – has enjoyed amid her staggering rise to fame.’I do think that there is a thing called pretty privilege,’ the lawyer and journalist said. ‘There is a thing called White privilege. There is a thing called tall privilege, and we have to acknowledge that.’
‘And so part of it is about race because if you think about the Brittney Griners of the world, why did she have to go to play in Russia? Because they wouldn’t pay her,’ she said of the WNBA.Hostin’s take on the Indiana Fever rookie has sparked controversy, with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy taking issue with her comments this week.
Clark has faced criticism amid her meteoric rise to stardom as the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft On X, Portnoy quoted a Mail Sport story on Hostin’s comments and wrote: ‘Somebody tell this racist all these players are superstars and white and nobody cared till Caitlin Clark. It’s the way she plays.’ He then listed out the players in question: ‘Dianna Turassi – Paige Buckets – Cameron Brink – Sue Bird – Ella Del Donne – Breanna Stewart – Sabrina Ionescu – Kelsey Plum’.Clark enjoyed one of the most successful college careers of all time with lowa before being selected by Indiana with the first overall pick at this year’s WNBA Draft.
Despite going 0-5 in her Fever career, the 22-year-old is already putting more bums on seats in the WNBA, with last weekend’s defeat to the New York Liberty bringing in a record $2million in ticket revenue.
Hostin’s comments about Clark sprung from the panel addressing former ESPN host Jemele Hill stating that her fame is a byproduct of her race and sexuality. While agreeing to the core of the argument, Hostin said that she has no issues with Clark bringing eyes to the league.
