Linda Cohn Faces Backlash Over Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson World Cup Take

Former ESPN anchor Linda Cohn is facing criticism after questioning whether A’ja Wilson’s absence from the FIBA Women’s World Cup could have anything to do with the attention surrounding Caitlin Clark.

Cohn raised the idea while discussing Team USA’s tournament in Berlin, where Caitlin Clark made her World Cup debut. She questioned whether Wilson might have wanted to avoid watching the event become “the Caitlin Clark show,” while also floating the possibility that the four-time WNBA MVP felt insecure about Clark’s spotlight.

Wilson withdrew from the U.S. roster for health reasons shortly before the tournament. Reuters reported that her absence was a major setback for an American team chasing a fifth consecutive World Cup title, with Clark among the players stepping into a bigger international role.

Cohn also pointed to the lack of a publicly disclosed specific health issue, arguing that questions would naturally follow when one of the biggest stars in American basketball pulled out at the last minute. Her speculation quickly drew pushback because Wilson herself has not said Clark’s popularity played any role in the decision.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, who coached Wilson during her college career, responded directly to Cohn on X with a brief, “Linda please!” The reaction became one of the most prominent responses as Cohn’s comments spread across social media.

The controversy comes as Clark has made an immediate impact for Team USA. She recorded 14 points and 11 assists in the Americans’ 94-61 opening win over China, while Wilson remains away from the tournament.

The backlash centers largely on the speculative nature of Cohn’s argument, which connected Wilson’s health-related withdrawal to Clark without evidence from Wilson supporting that explanation. The debate has once again placed two of the WNBA’s biggest stars at the center of a broader conversation about attention and coverage around the league.

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