There have never been more eyes on women’s sports—particularly women’s basketball. The WNBA offseason is in full swing, with teams handing out core designations and attempting to trade big-name talents. The league’s upcoming CBA negotiations (initiated after the WNBPA exercised their opt-out following this past season) will rightfully garner headlines amidst looming concerns of a potential work stoppage. Meanwhile, a new league, Unrivaled, tipped off January 17. Even the college game is riding the wave of this surging popularity, with players breaking barriers in the world of name, image, and likeness (NIL) and putting up ridiculous scoring numbers. This meteoric rise in visibility has come with significant challenges, too—particularly in a disturbing new incident with the WNBA’s latest sensation, Caitlin Clark, which highlights the shocking lack of player safety protocols throughout women’s basketball. Was this the scare that will be the turning point for the sport, or will it take yet another dangerous encounter involving some of the game’s biggest stars before meaningful change will emerge?

Dangerous Consequences of Growing Popularity

The perils of an increased spotlight became alarmingly clear this past weekend, as a Texas man was arrested in Indianapolis (where Clark’s team, the Indiana Fever, plays) after making a series of threatening tweets directed at Clark over the past month. The 55-year-old man allegedly made threats of sexual violence against the young star and drove from Texas to Indiana, where he claimed he would be “sitting behind the bench” to see her and that he was “driving around [her] house 3x a day.” The WNBA Rookie of the Year allegedly had to change her public appearances and travel schedule to ensure her safety. While it was alleged in court this week that police warned the man to stop harassing Clark, it was apparently to no avail. When confronted by the authorities, the man claimed to be in an “imaginary relationship” with the Fever centerpiece. If convicted, the man could face up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Perhaps more shocking than the messages themselves was the reaction of the alleged stalker upon entering the courtroom, yelling, “Guilty as charged,” and, “Throw me the booky!” The presiding judge ultimately decided to hold the man on $50,000 bail, ordering him not to contact Clark and to stay away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse and Hinkle Fieldhouse (the two professional basketball arenas in Indianapolis).

There’s no doubt this incident was terrifying. It was also—unfortunately—far from the first of its kind. UConn sensation Paige Bueckers was subject to similar treatment just a few months ago after a forty-year-old Oregon man traveled to Connecticut “to propose to Bueckers and to get her expelled from UConn.” Bueckers had been in contact with the police after fearing for the safety of friends and family because of the messages she was receiving from her stalker, with the man ultimately receiving a one-year suspended sentence (which includes a three-year probation period where he is barred from the state of Connecticut). In June, Chennedy Carter and her Chicago Sky teammates were harassed by a man outside their team hotel. Another man hurled racial slurs at the Utah women’s basketball team while they were staying in Idaho for March Madness but was never charged. Players and fans alike have been open about the toxic discourse that has sadly accompanied the sport’s exciting growth, including racism and threats both online and in public. The WNBA has also denounced this sort of treatment after the Connecticut Suns’ DiJonai Carrington publicized a threatening email she had received. But the question remains: Are we doing enough to protect these players, and if not, what can be done to generate meaningful change?

Glaring Gaps in Current Protocols

This fall, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert commented on the often-hateful discourse that has surrounded some of the league’s stars, but her inadequate reply was deemed “kind of a fumble” by Carrington and resulted in a strong statement by the WNBPA denouncing the social media attacks on players. Engelbert’s comments might not be the only thing missing the mark, either—despite the league’s groundbreaking 2020 CBA including a joint policy on “Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse,” the document made no reference to other meaningful safety measures, highlighted by a lack of private air travel (which had been requested by players for years). While the WNBA ultimately relented to demand (and, as evidenced above, a clear need to safeguard athletes) by beginning a full-time charter flight program, it was met with a rocky rollout and—more notably—is absent from the league CBA, which only provides for economy airfare. A lack of a defined charter program in the CBA (which remains in effect while the league negotiates their new agreement with the WNBPA) means that while players enjoy private flights right now, the league could theoretically take that privilege away and reverse course at any time. Similarly, there is no mention of team or player security in the CBA, meaning players are not truly guaranteed protection against being targeted by harassment in the future. This says nothing of women’s basketball players at the college level, who have no CBA to protect their rights and are often exposed to the public through their economic means of travel.

So, where does this leave us? While just one player in a league of 144 (and counting), Clark had a historic first season in the WNBA, becoming the first rookie since Candace Parker in 2008 to make the all-WNBA first team and setting numerous attendance records. Bueckers boasts similar fame, with two million Instagram followers, her own players’ edition shoe, and many projecting her to be selected first overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Clark and Bueckers aren’t just the biggest players on their respective teams—they’re arguably the most prominent athletes in their given leagues right now. If the biggest stars in the sport are not being adequately protected against harassment from dangerous fans, what is being done for players who may be less popular but are just as deserving of safety? A lack of player safeguards—especially to this degree—is something the sport will need to immediately revisit after these harrowing incidents of athlete safety being violated.

Moving Towards Meaningful Change

While this may appear to be a bleak outlook, positive change could be fast-approaching. The WNBA allowed Britney Griner to fly on charter flights in 2023 upon her return to the United States, showing some sensitivity to issues where player safety was compromised (in Griner’s case—harassment at the airport). The W’s ongoing CBA negotiations present an ideal chance to solidify such measures. Player protection protocols—including charter flights and robust personal security—must become non-negotiable aspects of the league’s next agreement. The league’s increased viewership has fueled a resurgence of investment into the league, including new training facilities (like the $78 million practice centerpromised by Clark’s Fever), and owners could feasibly extend this investment into other athlete safety measures.

The newcomer in women’s basketball, Unrivaled, also looms large in terms of redefining player standards. The league is already paying an average salary of over $220,000 to the thirty-six women participating in their inaugural season—a number just below the WNBA’s supermax salary. While Unrivaled is based out of Miami this year (meaning players will not need flights for travel), stars like Angel Reese are already raving about the league’s player-first approach and suggesting changes to their WNBA teams. Despite the lack of travel, Unrivaled’s desire to listen to player needs means the league could easily decide to become the standard for athlete safety in the same manner as they became the standard for player salary—adding in increased protections and allowing players like Reese to leverage their WNBA teams into implementing similar initiatives in CBA negotiations.

Looking Ahead

Stars like Clark and Bueckers are not just the faces of their teams; they are among the most prominent athletes in women’s basketball today. Their ordeals serve as a sobering reminder that while the sport’s profile is rising, the systems in place to protect its athletes have yet to catch up. But as investment into women’s game continues to climb—from new training facilities to increased viewership—there is room for optimism that meaningful player protections will follow.

These recent stalking scares must serve as a catalyst for action. Whether through advancements in the WNBA’s upcoming CBA, leadership from emerging leagues like Unrivaled, or a collective shift in how athlete safety is prioritized, the sport stands at a critical juncture. Women’s basketball has come too far to let its biggest stars, and its rising talents, remain unprotected. The time for change is now.

Oliver Canning is a 2L at the University of Miami School of Law. He can be followed on Twitter (X) @OCanning and found on LinkedIn.