Serena Williams hosted the 2024 ESPY Awards and touched on just about everything from Drake losing a rap battle to Kendrick Lamar to speaking on Caitlin Clark’s fan base.
Williams, who also spoke on Shohei Ohtani’s translator and Bronny James getting drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, mentioned Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, but her joke did not go over as well online.
Clark, who was not at the show, was nominated for three awards: Best Women’s Athlete, Best Record-breaking Performance, and Best Women’s College Athlete.
“Caitlin Clark had an amazing year and is nominated for three awards,” Williams started her joke at the packed Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. “You are the Larry Bird in that you are an amazing player, you have ties to Indiana, and white people are really crazy about you.”
#ESPYS24 host Serena Williams name dropping Caitlin Clark in her intro
“You are the Larry Bird in that you are an amazing player, you have ties to Indiana, and white people are really crazy about you” 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Hz1nmFpfYF
— Tyler DeLuca (@TylerDeLuca) July 12, 2024
Fans online were not pleased with what Serena said about Clark, and she was quickly labeled as racist.
NEWS: #Chiefs K Harrison Butker was at the ESPYs red carpet show & was sitting in one of the front rows when Serena Williams said ‘WOMANS SPORTS DON’T NEED HARRISON BUTKER’
Awkward 😳 pic.twitter.com/iSL8qBONbX
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) July 12, 2024
Serena should have been kicked out of the ESPYS for her comment. It was racist and disrespectful towards the Catholic Church
— Peter S. Bahi (@PSB0227) July 12, 2024
Serena Williams used her ESPYs monologue to make the ridiculous claim that only white people like Caitlin Clark.
The racial discrimination against the WNBA’s biggest star continues.
Read: https://t.co/uFvMxoY4RB pic.twitter.com/CG7OaaJD37
— OutKick (@Outkick) July 12, 2024
It evens out. I used to enjoy Serena in tennis and now her racist comments make me think “nah” not anymore.
— JF (@JFOAKESMUSIC) July 12, 2024
Caitlin Clark is grateful to be the first woman to with the ESPY for best record-breaking moment, but thinks it’s long overdue:
“How does Serena Williams never win that award? That’s crazy.” pic.twitter.com/L0KpXYopwT
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) July 12, 2024
She is so much more gracious than Serena was. Serena may live to regret that racist comment she made. It was almost as bad as comparing Caitlin to Larry Bird instead of Steph Curry. I hope Caitlin never changes her mature and kind nature.
— SJM (@SJM29917074) July 12, 2024
If you have to tell people they should like something that only exist for their entertainment, chances are… they aren’t entertained. https://t.co/XrULXiQn1k
— Joey Jones (@Johnny_Joey) July 12, 2024
I know many people who now do not like Serena the racist‼️💯
— Deborah (@ddphdmpa) July 12, 2024
NEWS: #Chiefs K Harrison Butker was at the ESPYs red carpet show & was sitting in one of the front rows when Serena Williams said ‘WOMANS SPORTS DON’T NEED HARRISON BUTKER’
Awkward 😳 pic.twitter.com/iSL8qBONbX
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) July 12, 2024
“Caitlin you are Larry Bird in that you’re an amazing player, you have ties to Indiana and white people are really crazy about you”
Host Serena Williams at the #ESPYS#WNBA pic.twitter.com/RDxc3qIG4R
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) July 12, 2024
Wow. Racist much, Serena? Yet you bleach and straighten your hair and married a white guy so your kid wouldn’t be black. And you do whatever Hazbeen and his bully wife tell you to do. Quite the facade you have there.
— Nekrasova Питер (@Nekrasova0128) July 12, 2024
Serena showing how racists act. Not good look.
— Deep Waters (@verydeepwaters) July 12, 2024
The tennis legend, who holds 23 Grand Slam titles, has not issued an apology or spoken out since making those comments.
Much like anything said about her, Caitlin Clark is unlikely to speak out about this moment at the ESPY Awards.
Clark is getting ready to play a game on Friday against the Phoenix Mercury as she continues on her torrid pace.
