Iowa Hawkeye fans did not know A’ja Wilson played in WNBA

Some Iowa Hawkeye fans did not know that A’ja Wilson, the best basketball player in the world, even plays the game.

Wilson was, like Caitlin Clark, the national Player of the Year, but Wilson also won the national championship with the South Carolina Gamecocks. After Wilson won Rookie of the Year in the WNBA, she went on to earn two league MVPs and is a back-to-back WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces. If that weren’t enough, Wilson just won her second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Yet, some Hawkeye fans did not know who Wilson was. They had no clue when they walked up on her, astonished at how tall she was. They wondered if she played basketball.

This is why so many urbanites believe that the White fans of college superstar Caitlin Clark — the Player of the Year for the Iowa Hawkeyes — only worship Clark but otherwise know little to nothing about women’s basketball, collegiate or professional.

Wilson, addressed this horrid fact when she sat with fellow icons Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi during the Final Four portion of March Madness on Friday, March 5.

When discussing new fans and the dialogue they bring:

“The same way we have welcome to the league moments, the new fans do to” – KP

“I had an Iowa fan say wow you’re tall do you play?” – A’ja Wilson pic.twitter.com/K9BL1Qel8d

— Tyler DeLuca (@TylerDeLuca) April 6, 2024

Fans of Wilson and the WNBA were outraged and offended that a historically-awarded basketball genius is unrecognized by so-called women’s basketball fans.

i love that wbb has gotten some new fans, but walking up to THEE a’ja wilson and asking her if she plays displays a level of ignorance i could never allow myself to have 😭😭😭

— kassidie williams (@kasswilliamss_) April 6, 2024

They really think she invented women’s basketball. How could you love women’s basketball in the year 2024 and not know who THE A’JA WILSON is?! Lmao like???????????? https://t.co/AergypO1x9

— Honey Bun. (@SheBlessed) April 6, 2024

Asking A’ja Wilson if she plays basketball is most def new fan behavior. https://t.co/eQssqpE06j

— 𝘽𝙞𝙜 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 901 ✊🏽🥃🏀🏈 (@SuaveBrutha) April 6, 2024

Good morning to everyone that knows A’ja Wilson is a basketball player 😎🐔🤙 pic.twitter.com/ESxXiAqUka

— Sueanna Smith, PhD (@SueannaSmith3) April 6, 2024