Caitlin Clark took on the role of supportive girlfriend Saturday night after watching boyfriend Connor McCaffery in action as an assistant basketball coach for Butler.
Clark, who was named TIME Athlete of the Year for 2024 last week, has some time on her hands after her record-breaking WNBA rookie season came to an end in September, meaning she was free to cheer on the Butler Bulldogs in Indianapolis.
The No. 1 draft pick was spotted in the stands at Hinkle Fieldhouse as McCaffery’s Bulldogs fell to a 79-74 defeat against UConn, leaving them 7-6 for the season and 0-2 in Big East play.
When she was captured at the game by NBC cameras Clark appeared to be on her phone, leading to jokes on social media that she was checking the score of the Kansas City Chiefs vs Houston Texans game.
As a long-time Chiefs fan she would have been happy with that result after Kansas City held on for a 27-19 victory with Taylor Swift watching on from the stands at Arrowhead.
Clark was also in the crowd for Butler’s game against Merrimack College last month, where fans also claimed she looked bored while talking to other people and constantly checking her phone instead of watching the action.Â
Caitlin Clark (left) watched boyfriend Connor McCaffery (right) in action as an assistant basketball coach for Butler on Saturday night
McCaffery, who has been dating Clark for close to two years, joined Butler’s staff in September after previously working for the Indiana Pacers as a basketball development coordinator.
At the end of November Caitlin and Connor were seen at a Pacers game together, sitting courtside with the girlfriend of star Indiana player Tyrese Haliburton as the team took on the New Orleans Pelicans.
Clark has more time to herself this winter after choosing not to play in Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league.
The rosters were announced in November, and although Napheesa Collier, Angel Reese and Breanna Stewart are among the WNBA stars set to play, the Fever superstar chose to sit it out.
Clark sparked controversy in her interview with TIME last week after being named the magazine’s Athlete of the Year.
The 22-year-old spoke of her own ‘white privilege’ while claiming the WNBA has ‘been built on’ black players, which has led to heavy criticism in some quarters.Â
Commentator and podcaster Megyn Kelly bemoaned her ‘self-flagellation’, while Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy – one of the WNBA player’s biggest fans – also voiced his anger after rubbishing any notion that she is enjoying extra attention because of her race.
Clark and McCaffery have been dating for nearly two years since both were athletes at Iowa
The pair were sat courtside with Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton’s girlfriend at a game last month
Clark has been criticized of late after discussing her ‘white privilege’ with TIME magazine
However, others have come out in support of Clark after her ‘white privilege’ remark, including retired women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe.
‘I think what Caitlin did in her quotes, or in the article, was speak explicitly about her White privilege, and that is what is receiving so much criticism or backlash, and that is the lesson,’ Rapinoe said.Â
‘So, you know, for conservative media coming at her now that obviously they’re just showing their whole a**
‘If fans are upset about her saying that and just acknowledging what is true, I think that says a lot. But I think the more that you speak directly to it the clearer it becomes what your stance is, and then you can’t be used in that way. It doesn’t really leave your beliefs or your stance as a white player to any sort of interpretation.’
