“One of my best skills is just blocking things out,” Clark said at an event in New York City on Dec. 11

Caitlin Clark at TIME dinner in New York City on Dec. 11, 2024; Megyn Kelly at SiriusXM Studios on May 20, 2024
Caitlin Clark had a strong response to Megyn Kelly’s criticism about her recent comments regarding white privilege in the WNBA.

After 22-year-old Clark — who was just named Time’s Athlete of the Year — said in her interview with the magazine that she’s aware “there is privilege” as a white player in the league, Kelly, 54, called Clark’s statements “condescending” and “fake” in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

A day later, Clark spoke at the “A Year in Time” event in New York City, where NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor asked her about Kelly’s criticism — and how she handles the pressure of heavy topics coming down on her “shoulders.”

“I feel like I’ve always had a really good perspective on everything thats happened in my life,” Clark told Taylor.

The Indiana Fever star went on to reiterate her comments made in the Time article, telling Taylor, “I feel like I’ve earned every single thing thats happened to me over the course of my career, but also, I grew up a fan of this league from a very young age.”

age.”

Caitlin Clark attends 2024 A Year in TIME dinner at Current at Chelsea Piers on December 11, 2024 in New York City.
Noting that her favorite player growing up was Minnesota Lynx great Maya Moore, a Black woman, Clark continued, “I know what this league was about and, like I said, it’s only been around 25-plus years, so I know that theres been so many amazing Black women that have been in this league, and continuing to uplift them is very important and that’s something I’m very aware of.”

“I think I’m very comfortable in my own skin and thats kind of been how it is my entire life,” Clark added.

The WNBA’s 2024 rookie of the year explained, “One of my best skills is just blocking things out.”

Clark said that ultimately, she just tries to “be real and authentic” and that the “only opinions” she cares about are the ones from “people that I love, my teammates, my coaches,” and the “people I see every single day.”

Finding a silver lining in Kelly’s criticism, Clark suggested that the attention, even negative, is good for the WNBA. “With the way things are going, with the way the WNBA is going, you want that attention and you embrace it,” Clark told Taylor.

Caitlin Clark speaks onstage during the 2024 A Year in TIME dinner
In her Time interview, Clark said she feels “like the most controversial person” due to the massive attention around her.

“But I am not. It’s just because of all the storylines that surround me. I literally try to live and treat everybody in the same exact respectful, kind way. It just confuses me at times.”

Along with discussing her privilege in the league, Clark’s Time interview also touched on her relationship with Chicago Sky star Angel Reese, how she hits her crazy logo three-pointers and why her rookie year made her feel “powerful.”