Yagya Bhargava · Basketball Network Sat, November 7, 2026 at 12:32 AM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no doubt that Caitlin Clark's popularity has brought a different kind of attention to the WNBA, which made her one of the league's biggest names. But a WNBA legend believes there is more to that popularity than what happens on the court.
After CC entered the WNBA as the No. 1 pick in 2024, she made the Indiana Fever the most-watched team. But she has not been the only reason behind the Fever's success. Kelsey Mitchell has been one of the team's most productive players, yet former WNBA star Angel McCoughtry believes the difference in their popularity is more about how fans view the women's game.
The five-time All-Star shared her thoughts during an appearance on the "Get To The Point" podcast, suggesting that looks and visibility can sell more in the WNBA than they do in men's sports.
"In the NFL or NBA, if you good, you good. In the WNBA, if you look pretty, you might not be the best player… because I went to a conference. Everybody loved Indiana, they love Caitlin Clark. I said 'How many of you know Kelsey Mitchell?' None of them raised their hand. She's the best player on that team… She just don't have a million followers," McCoughtry said .
Host Chris Spencer then tried to get a clearer answer from Angel, asking whether she was calling CC pretty. The WNBA legend paused, laughed, and moved the conversation elsewhere.
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McCoughtry has another Indiana Fever star in mind when explaining how appearances drive success in the league. Angel pointed to Sophie Cunningham , who has built a considerable following through her strong personality, social media presence, and viral moments on the court.
"Let's use Sophie Cunningham, for example. She's pretty. Yes. Now, she averages nine points per game. She has an Adidas shoe deal. There are other girls who could probably have that… that's balling. It's the visibility, right? She did some drama on the court and got the visibility, but not the best player you've ever seen. But she's getting a brand endorsement. So, in the women's game, is it really about how good you are or the visibility, how pretty you are?" McCoughtry added.
Sophie has surely found ways to stay in the conversation despite averaging 7.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists over her eight-year career. She has not shied away from getting involved in on-court fights and has spoken her mind clearly when it's about presenting her thoughts.
That visibility helped her gain around 3 million new followers between May 8 and November 2, and sign multiple endorsement deals that helped her build her brand.
Angel also named Kelsey Mitchell to support her point, who averaged 24.7 points on 50.9 percent shooting this past season. Those numbers did put her in the MVP conversation for Fever fans, but her presence off the court doesn't match the attention brands give to Caitlin and Sophie receive.
Related: "I'm strictly d—ly" – Sophie Cunningham gets brutally honest about "lesbian mafia" in the WNBA
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: Sports
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