Caitlin Clark has criticised what she described as the media’s “false characterization” of her, saying coverage has at times misrepresented who she is. Her comments follow several weeks of controversy surrounding reporting and commentary about the WNBA star, highlighting the wider debate over how her profile and public image are portrayed.

Clark made the remarks in an ESPN interview on Friday. The article says tensions intensified after a USA Today piece, while related coverage included criticism that commentary about Clark and her supporters had unfairly linked them to white nationalism; the supplied text does not include the full details of that report or Clark’s wider response.