In a move that has been called “jealous,” “stubborn” and “stupid,” the WNBPA opted to exclude the league’s biggest draw from a deal that has sparked backlash, marketing outrage and questions about whether the league is sabotaging its own future.

The WNBA Players Association just made the most inexplicable marketing decision in recent sports memory—and the blowback is immediate, fierce, and fully justified. In a promotion announced Thursday across social media, the WNBPA launched a new partnership with FM Cases, a phone case company offering officially licensed products featuring eight WNBA stars.

Caitlin Clark—arguably the single most impactful player the league has seen in a generation—was not one of them.

Instead, the collection features players like Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, Cameron Brink, Napheesa Collier, and Kelsey Plum. A talented list, no doubt. But the glaring omission of Clark, the rookie phenom responsible for record-breaking ratings and historic merchandise sellouts, has left fans bewildered and critics enraged.

“This is pure incompetence,” said sports analyst Mark Dillard on the Bendo Podcast Friday morning. “Stubbornness, jealousy, and business ignorance—those are the three reasons this league continues to trip over its own feet while Clark is sprinting ahead.”

And he’s not wrong.

Let’s talk numbers. Clark’s debut game this season pulled in higher viewership than the last two WNBA Finals combined. Her Wilson “Fever Rising” basketball sold out in under 30 minutes last year. Her All-Star jerseys? Gone within 20. And while she was sidelined with a quad strain earlier this month, league-wide TV ratings plunged as much as 50%. Her return sparked an immediate resurgence.

And yet… no phone case.

It’s a slap in the face not just to Clark, but to the very fans whose wallets are keeping the lights on. When casual viewers—many new to the WNBA—scan this phone case lineup and don’t see the one name they actually recognize, what message does that send?

“It says they still don’t get it,” said Rachel Nichols on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “They don’t understand that Clark isn’t just a boost to their brand—she is the brand right now.”

A Pattern of Snubs

This isn’t the first time the WNBA or its associated institutions have stumbled when it comes to Clark. Earlier in the season, the league’s official Instagram failed to feature her in a “Rookies to Watch” post, despite her leading the league in assists at the time. A few weeks later, she was left out of a Nike promo campaign that included far less-followed athletes.

Then there was the now-infamous quote from a veteran star who insisted, “We don’t need saviors.” That clip went viral—and sparked a nationwide debate on whether the league was treating Clark as a threat, not an asset.

The FM Cases promotion only adds fuel to that fire.

Jealousy, or Just Bad Business?

While some argue the omission was driven by internal politics or ego, others see it as simply a baffling case of failed marketing strategy. “If you put Clark’s face on a phone case,” Dillard argued, “you sell 10,000 units in a weekend—and maybe 3,000 more of the other players just because people are already in the store.”

In other words, Clark’s presence helps everyone. This isn’t just about fandom—it’s about the multiplier effect. Wilson Sporting Goods understood that when they created a Clark-centered basketball line. The entire collection sold out in record time, and not just the items with Clark’s name on them.

“It’s economics 101,” said former Nike executive Tina Morales. “She’s a rising tide. If you’re not building boats around her, you’re drowning.”

Meanwhile, in Indiana…

Ironically, while this drama played out online, Clark was doing what she does best: changing the game. In her return from injury, she dropped a near triple-double in a blowout win over the undefeated New York Liberty, draining logo threes and energizing teammates like Sydney Colson and Lexie Hull.

Coach Stephanie White, who’s long praised Clark’s poise, said after the win: “Having her back changes everything. It’s not just about points—it’s leadership, spacing, rhythm. She lifts everyone.”

Colson herself echoed the sentiment in a postgame interview: “When Caitlin’s on the floor, the defense stretches, and the offense flows. It’s contagious.”

The Bigger Problem

The problem isn’t just this one oversight. It’s the message these repeated exclusions send—that somehow, Clark hasn’t “earned” her place in a league she’s already revolutionized. That the veterans, the “old guard,” would rather maintain hierarchy than embrace the new energy that could actually fund their future.

And here’s the kicker: the WNBPA will absolutely want Clark at the table during the next round of collective bargaining. They’ll want her face on every TV interview, her voice in every press conference, fighting for salary bumps, travel upgrades, and investment in league infrastructure.

But how do you ask someone to carry your cause when you can’t even include her in a phone case lineup?

Conclusion: A Fork in the Road

The WNBA has a choice: grow up, get smart, and get behind its biggest star—or keep fumbling its shot at national relevance.

Because here’s the truth no one inside the league wants to say out loud: without Caitlin Clark, the WNBA isn’t trending. It’s vanishing.

And if they keep treating her like a problem instead of the solution, they may not get a second chance.