As we get closer to the opening of the WNBA season, the hype grows by the week. Seeing Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark begin to get shots up for their respective teams has been a joy. With all the energy and intrigue surrounding the new season, news of player salaries has also been a focal. In addition, there’s been a microscope on the types of endorsements that players would be getting. They would serve inherently as a supplement to their salaries since they were significantly lower than their male counterparts. So, when news of Clark’s Nike deal surfaced, it raised the antennas of Black fans. Reportedly at $28 million over eight years, Clark is signing one of the most lucrative deals a WNBA player has ever signed. But what is this endorsement in recognition of? Could it be her historic, record-breaking college career? Or could we attribute it to the thought that her being a white woman makes her more widely appealing? I say that it could be a matter of truth in both cases. Clark’s...
