Clark fans erupt over ESPYs snub.
Simone Biles Takes ESPY and Caitlin Clark Fans Are Spiraling originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Caitlin Clark burst onto the national stage at Iowa, setting the NCAA all‑time scoring record with 3,951 points during her collegiate career.
She added to her resume in 2024 by becoming the first woman to win the Best Record‑Breaking Performance ESPY Award and was named both the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and Time magazine's Athlete of the Year.
Transitioning to the WNBA as the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, Clark was voted Rookie of the Year, became the first rookie since Candace Parker in 2008 to earn All-WNBA and has quickly become the face of the Indiana Fever (and arguably the league).
As a result, fans were quick to voice their disappointment online when Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, not Clark, was named Best Athlete in Women’s Sports at the 2025 ESPY Awards on Wednesday.
Biles took home the award over fellow nominees Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas and WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson.
SIMONE BILES HAS WON THE ESPY FOR BEST ATHLETE IN WOMEN'S SPORTS 👏 pic.twitter.com/JktXHESR05
— ESPN (@espn) July 17, 2025
On X, dozens of posts argued that Clark, whose rookie season has sparked a surge in WNBA viewership, was more deserving of the accolade, despite not even being nominated.
"Caitlin Clark should’ve won," said one fan.
"Should be Caitlin Clark," another user responded.
"Caitlin Clark has entered the chat," one other fan commented.
"Should have been Caitlin Clark," another user replied.
"Typical @espn [expletive]. Caitlin Clark by a mile," said one other commenter.
"Caitlin clark is literally carrying the entire WNBA ... ESPN has totally lost the plot," another fan responded.
Through 13 games of the 2025 season, Clark is posting averages of 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals per contest, ranking among the league's assists leaders.
Beyond the numbers, Clark has revolutionized fan interest in the WNBA.
She shattered the single‑season All‑Star voting record with 1,293,526 votes, earning the right to captain Team Clark at the 2025 All‑Star Game.
Her style of play has translated to sold‑out arenas and record television ratings for Fever telecasts.
To be sure, Biles remains one of the most decorated athletes in history, with four gold medals in Paris and a string of world titles to her name.
Related: Lexie Hull Shares Honest Take on Playing Without Caitlin Clark
Related: New DeWanna Bonner Update Emerges After Release From Indiana Fever
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
