Why are WNBA players throwing shade at Caitlin Clark?

One of the most historically significant women’s basketball seasons came to an end last night as the University of South Carolina Gamecocks completed the perfect, undefeated season with a National Championship. 

A season filled with record-breaking performances attracted record-breaking viewership and women’s basketball entered territories that the sport has long dreamt of.

Last week’s Final Four match-up between UConn and Iowa was the highest viewed non-football program on ESPN, PERIOD. That’s the end of the sentence. Not just basketball, not just women’s.

From a layover in the Salt Lake City airport, I watched with excitement and disbelief as crowds waited for seats to open up at the P.F. Changs (lmao) so that they could watch the second half.

Grown men were posted up with their carry-ons around every TV, all of them on the same channel. 

The past few months have been historical for women’s sports and a WIN for women everywhere.

That’s the very reason that people are a bit shocked to hear that current and former WNBA players are less than hype about the newfound interest in their sport and Caitlin Clark, who’s talents have been the catalyst for it’s growth. 

Diana Taurasi, current WNBA guard and former UConn great, went on air saying, “Reality is coming… You look super human playing against some 18 year olds but you’re going to come play basketball with some grown women that haven been playing professional basketball for a long time.”

Everyone is entitled to their opinions. I’m thankful we can share them. It may even be true! 

And still, it’s not a great look. Do we not all have enough to deal with without girl on girl jealousy crimes?! 

In psychology, there’s something known as “The Crab Effect.” 

Have you heard of it? 

If not, here’s the deal:

If you put 2 or more crabs in a bucket, there’s a good chance that none will be able to escape.

Should a gritty lil crab make it’s way up the side of the bucket, the other crabs will pull it back down.

A crab placed alone in a bucket, on the other hand, will easily free himself.

It’s only when you place it with a few of its pals that this interesting phenomenon occurs. Over and over, time and time again, as the crabs try to escape, other crabs will pull them back down to their misery and the group’s collective demise. 

If I’m not getting out, you’re not getting out. I so wish they would not act this way!!! I am so upset with crabs right now.

The Crab Effect illustrates the selfish, harmful, and jealous mindset that can come with members in a group. People who will try to undermine, halt or discredit the progress of the others whether it actually affects their own well-being or not.

People like this believe that there is only so much success allowed. There is only so much recognition and money to be had. There is only so much good.

If no one has ever told you, I am absolutely ecstatic to be the one: this is simply not true.

Not only is it not true, but thinking this way is absolutely detrimental.

What to strive for instead? The abundance mindset.

Another woman’s success is not your demise.

May those who achieve new heights be a demonstration of what is possible for us.

It’s actually not lonely at the top. In fact, let’s all go.

Xo, The Salesgirls

South Carolina’s Coach, Dawn Staley, gets it. This isn’t the first time she’s made Salesgirl Social and likely not the last if she keeps it up.