Caitlin Clark being 'White girl from the middle of America' helped connect with young fans, ESPN pundit says

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Caitlin Clark burst onto the national scene over the last two years thanks to her record-setting college career, her All-Star rookie season and the constant conversation about why she is popular.

ESPN broadcaster Monica McNutt suggested that Clark being from the Midwest helped her connect with young girls as she spoke to BBC about how women’s sports can be viable in the long term.

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ESPN analyst Monica McNutt on the red carpet before the All-Star Celebrity Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Feb. 16, 2024. (Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)

"Two things – I think it has to show up in our storytelling and it has to be encouraged by our families," McNutt said. "And so covering the WNBA this past season, Caitlin Clark's rookie year, for all of the conversation that surrounded her, some which was fair and some which wasn't, the one thing that I cannot deny is the amount of little girls that were showing up to follow her. Same thing for Angel Reese, when I had a chance to cover their games.

"But I think Caitlin represented, and again, some of this to me probably is not fair to her, because it was not anything that she said or was truly based on her personality, but she was a White girl from the middle of America. And so she represented a whole lot to a lot of people, whether that is truly what she prescribed to or not.

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Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Indiana Fever, poses for a photo during her introductory press conference on April 17, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)

"We can all