Caitlin Clark and contrast

The envious man grows lean at the success of his neighbor. – Horace

Caitlin Clark can’t seem to catch a break. It appears that even if every move she makes seems to be the right one, there is someone up against her, holding her down. From getting banged up by other players – often without the referees calling it – to other players commenting on her success and trying to cast the spotlight on herself, the WNBA seems to be unable to handle her success.

Is it a question of racism, because professional basketball in the United States is not supposed to be dominated by Caucasian athletes? That may be a contributing cause, since up to 70 percent of WNBA (and even NBA) players identify as black or African American. We all know how difficult it has been for them, in general, to be treated fairly. Problems persist to this day. And it appears that it took a white girl (some would label her a unicorn) to push them towards financial prosperity. It certainly looks like that, as the “Caitlin Clark effect” has brought the league prosperity, and may give the players what they’ve wanted ever since the league began after the 1996 Olympics.

Here in the Philippines, thankfully, that is not the case. There is still a strong sense of community and purpose in women’s basketball, and the distaff side of the sport has been growing by leaps and bounds. Luckily, there are no racial undertones, and there no longer seem to be any vestiges of bias against Filipino-American players, which existed about 20 years ago.

Some of the issues in women’s volleyball, in comparison, mirror what happens in men’s basketball. Players are a rare, valuable commodity, and there always seems to be a tug-of-war for their services when it comes to representing the country. It’s been a concern in men’s hoops for half a century. It has started to permeate women’s volleyball, because of the high demand and increasing investment in commercial players and teams.

But since women’s professional basketball is still developing, female players are still not the object of such rivalry. Though players like Jack Daniella Animam have broken down doors to playing overseas, size is still a big factor for Filipinas to be recruited. So that’s a matter for another day.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has done a great job of putting its muscle behind women’s basketball, and the progress is palpable. Under coach Anton Altamirano, the Gilas Women’s 3X3 team not only qualified for the FIBA 3X3 World Cup, but also won a historic first victory, knocking off Italy in their last game. Meanwhile, our national girls’ team is running roughshod over the field in the FIBA Under-18 Women’s Asia Cup SEABA qualifiers in Bacolod. Despite the short preparation under new head coach Sandy Arespacochaga, they are doing some serious damage.

Isn’t it ironic that Filipinas seem to handle the relation matters in basketball better than Americans?