The Caitlin Clark conversation is veering into dangerous territory.
The Indiana Fever icon quickly became the face of the WNBA and women's sports in America, which has opened the door for endless discussion that has little to do with hoops but more to do with modern race relations and politics.
The rivalry with Angel Reese exploded because of the pair's socioeconomic background and the idea that certain groups could weaponize the color of their skin to push specific agendas. The exhaustive discussion of topics unrelated to the sport has hindered its momentum.
An unserious talking head is trying to capitalize on the tension by making insulting and absurd comparisons.
While on his show "Fearless," Jason Whitlock suggested that Clark is facing similar scrutiny to Jackie Robinson but is receiving less help.
"She's about to go through what Jackie Robinson went through, and I'm just not sure if a woman can handle that," Whitlock said. "She certainly is not getting the level of support the Brooklyn Dodgers [gave Robinson]. To expect a woman to go through what Robinson did and survive it is an unrealistic expectation."
That monologue was not satire or rage bait. Whitlock said that with his chest in a serious tone.
Jackie Robinson was frequently denied from congregating with his team off the field, struggled to find housing, and was arrested for standing up for who he was as a person, just to name a few of the hurdles he had to overcome constantly.
No modern athlete faces a fraction of what Robinson dealt with on a day-to-day basis.
Clark often gets vilified by the internet echo chamber and is a target on the floor because of her status as an MVP-caliber player in a physical sport.
She deserves better treatment, but this gross mischaracterization of events will only create more public friction and continue to delay necessary progress in women's athletics.