Caitlin Clark repeats controversial 'white privilege' stance after being targeted

WNBA star has insisted she benefits from "white privilege" despite previously coming under fire for suggesting that was the case. Clark enjoyed a stellar debut season in the WNBA, taking home the prestigious Rookie of the Year award.

Her performances on the court took the league by storm, but it was Clark's comments off it that sparked the most controversy. The 23-year-old went out of her way to acknowledge her "white privilege" during an interview after being named TIME Magazine's Athlete of the Year. There were plenty of people unhappy with the comments, including OutKick founder Clay Travis and businessman Dave Portnoy, who both slammed Clark for her remarks.

Despite the backlash, Clark has doubled down on the statement when asked about it on David Letterman's Netflix show, 'My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.' The basketball star explained: "I definitely have privilege. I'm obviously White but I think... I'm somebody that grew up a huge fan of this league. I grew up watching this league, going to games, supporting this league. So, I know where this league comes from.

"A lot of Black women that grew up making this league what it is. That's kind of the shoulders that we stand on. So, I think that was something I'm very aware of and something I'm very thankful for. And they definitely deserve all the credit and the more we can give credit to them, the better. I'm very aware of that and I know that and I think there is responsibility in acknowledging that."

, with ticket sales, merchandise revenue and viewership all spiking as a result of the Indiana Fever star's rise to fame.

The Iowa-born ace topped the statistic standings in several fields, including a league-high 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game, as well as 122 three-pointers - the second most ever recorded in a single season.

Such was the desire to see Clark in action that popular broadcaster Stephen A. Smith claimed her impact exceeded that of fellow American superstars Serena Williams and Simone Biles. While speaking on an ESPN broadcast, he said: "I guess what I'm saying is, with Serena Williams, you were watching her. With Simone Biles, you were watching her. Caitlin Clark got you watching the league.

"Because it wasn't just her. You wanted to see who eventually she was going to end up going against. You saw other folks trying to get at her... she has you transfixed on the entire league."