Controversy is brewing: ESPN reminds Caitlin Clark that she isn't the best in the WNBA just yet
The Fever star finished behind A’ja Wilson in the postseason rankings, sparking debate from both supporters and critics
C aitlin Clark enters the WNBA Playoffs after the most productive regular season of her career, but ESPN 's latest player rankings have ensured the conversation around her is not limited to basketball.
The Indiana Fever guard was ranked No. 2 among players competing in the postseason, behind Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson and the decision proved immediately controversial, with some fans arguing about where Clark should place.
The ranking of Clark quickly became bigger than the overall ranking itself and reaction on social media was predictably split as fans took to X.com, formerly known as Twitter, to react.
One user wrote, “That’s a joke.”
Another second said, “Nasty work. ESPN has fell off.”
And a third commented, “Is this a joke in the last game she was missing.”
That tension reflects the unusual place Clark occupies in the league. Her 2026 numbers were elite at 22.3 points, 8.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game, but almost every assessment of her now becomes part of a larger argument about her status.
ESPN ’s Kareem Copeland highlighted the scale of her season, writing that Clark “finished the best year of her career ranked No. 3 in points” and was “at the helm of the league’s No. 1 offense.”
But the disagreement is notable because it is coming from opposite directions as some fans believe Clark ’s scoring and playmaking should have placed her ahead of the Aces ’ Wilson .
Others point to Wilson ’s MVP credentials and complete two-way impact as the reason ESPN got the top spot right whilst Clark 's Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell was ranked No. 5 entering the postseason.
Caitlin Clark’s impressive 2026 WNBA season
Clark ’s finale should not obscure the season she had, although her final regular-season game was easily one of her worst as she scored two points on 1-of-12 shooting in Indiana’s 86-66 loss to the Minnesota Lynx .
But that came after a stretch in which she averaged 30.2 points and 10.0 assists over five games whilst she also finished the year third in the WNBA in scoring and second in assists, while recording 14 points-assists double-doubles.
One of the clearest examples of her ceiling came in July, when she produced 45 points and 10 assists in a single game. That adds to the stakes of the ranking because Clark and Wilson are about to face each other.
Indiana enters the playoffs as the No. 6 seed and opens against No. 3 Las Vegas , giving the first round a direct matchup between the two players ESPN placed at the top of its list.
The Aces eliminated the Fever in last season’s semifinals, though Clark did not take part in that postseason after an injury-shortened year. This time she is healthy and coming off a career-best regular season.
Heading straight into a series against the player ranked above her, can the 24-year-old prove she deserved the nod ahead of Wilson ? Even if she does, the online argument over ESPN ’s order is unlikely to disappear.
