Following a troublesome interaction with Indiana Fever rookie forward Caitlin Clark at her introductory press conference, Indianapolis Star reporter Gregg Doyel has been given a two-week suspension by the publication. Additionally, Doyel will not be permitted to cover Clark and the Fever this summer, although he will reportedly still write columns on the team. When Doyel was attending the opening press conference, he made a heart sign with his hands towards Clark and said to her that if she started doing that to him, they would “get along just fine.” Doyel was excoriated by media members and basketball fans for his gesture and wrote a column in the newspaper in which he apologized to Clark.
Within the article, Doyel explained that he was “well-intentioned” and vowed to “do better” in the future. Moreover, he divulged that he went through denial and anger, incredulous to the fact that he was perceived to be on the wrong side of the situation. As he thought about the situation further, he realized that he was in the wrong. Doyel has not published a story for the newspaper since April 29, not writing about Clark’s preseason debut nor the Indiana Pacers playoff run.
Doyel has been a columnist for the Indianapolis Star since 2014 after serving as the lead sports columnist for CBSSports.com. Throughout his career, he has won multiple awards from several prestigious organizations in recognition of his work. Clark, who is the all-time scoring leader in NCAA college basketball, was selected first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, and she was subsequently introduced to the media two days later.
Since arriving in the WNBA, Clark has been subject to questions surrounding her personal life, including from another reporter who asked if “bae” would be in attendance at a recent preseason game. The inquiry was in reference to her boyfriend, former Iowa basketball guard Connor McCaffrey. Clark responded to the query by stating that he was working and that she was playing solo, something she would need to get used to because she is a professional. Clark and the Fever will open the 2024 regular season on May 14 visiting the Connecticut Sun at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN2 and streaming live on ESPN+ and Disney+.
