Every once in a while, a sports take pops up that makes you stop, rub your temples, and wonder how we all ended up listening to something so wildly disconnected from reality. That’s exactly what happened when Andraya Carter and Lexi Brown sat down on their podcast and delivered one of the most baffling claims of the year:
That the explosion of women’s basketball during the NCAA tournament was because of their coverage — not Caitlin Clark.
I’m not exaggerating. That’s what they suggested.
And honestly? The internet had every right to lose its mind.
Because if you watched even five minutes of women’s hoops over the last two years, you know exactly what turned the sport into a cultural moment:
Caitlin Clark’s historic run.
Her logo threes, her 40-point masterclasses, her ability to drag casual fans into sold-out arenas — that’s what made the tournament feel like the Super Bowl every single night.
Coverage didn’t create that.
Chemistry between commentators didn’t create that.
Energy on a studio desk didn’t create that.
A generational talent did.
The “We Made the Tournament Lit” Claim Was… A Lot
When Lexi Brown said the tournament “wouldn’t have been the same” without their trio on ESPN, it was hard not to pause the clip just to process it.
No one is denying they did great work.
No one is saying they didn’t add value to the broadcast.
But suggesting the broadcast team was the engine behind record-breaking viewership — instead of the most electric player women’s basketball has seen in decades — is rewriting history in real time.
Caitlin Clark didn’t just boost numbers… she created a movement.
- Bars were packed.
- Social feeds were nonstop highlights.
- NBA superstars were reacting live.
- People who had never watched women’s hoops showed up.
Not because of pregame segments.
Not because of commentary.
But because they couldn’t take their eyes off what she was doing on the court.
That is the truth — and it’s not a complicated one.
The WNBA Carryover Wasn’t Magic. It Had a Name.
Then came part two of the delusion: the argument that interest “naturally” carried over into the WNBA as a whole.
Again, no names mentioned. Just vague talk about “momentum.”
But the numbers don’t lie.
The crowds don’t lie.
The sold-out arenas don’t lie.
The carryover had a single driving force:
Caitlin Clark fans followed her into the WNBA.
Not everyone brought that kind of audience with them:
- Paige Bueckers is phenomenal — her attendance numbers didn’t move the needle.
- Angel Reese is a star — Chicago’s crowds were still half empty.
- JuJu Watkins is a bucket — USC games still have seats to spare.
The only player who turned WNBA arenas into must-see events the moment she arrived was Caitlin Clark.
That’s not disrespect.
That’s simply factual.
Why Avoid Giving Her Credit?
This is the part that frustrates fans the most.
There is room for everyone to shine.
There is room to celebrate multiple voices and talents growing the game.
But the moment you start bending the story to avoid acknowledging the obvious, you lose credibility.
Caitlin Clark had the biggest individual impact on women’s basketball viewership in history.
That’s not something to tiptoe around.
It’s not something to “generalize” or water down.
She earned that spotlight.
She elevated the sport.
She brought millions of new eyes with her — from college arenas to WNBA gyms.
And pretending otherwise doesn’t just look petty… it looks disconnected from the reality the rest of the country witnessed.
The Bottom Line
Women’s basketball is thriving — finally, rightfully, beautifully.
And yes, broadcasters, analysts, content creators, and other players all contribute to that success.
But there is a difference between contributing and driving.
Caitlin Clark drove the surge.
Everything else rode shotgun.
You can praise the coverage.
You can celebrate the analysts.
You can highlight the energy they brought to the table.
But rewriting the moment?
Diminishing the one player who changed the sport’s trajectory?
Claiming the spotlight came from the studio instead of the superstar on the court?
That’s when fans stop nodding and start calling it what it is:
delusion.
Women’s basketball deserves honesty — not ego-driven revisionist history.
And the honest truth is simple:
Caitlin Clark lit the fuse that set this entire movement on fire.
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