American sports analyst Pat McAfee has apologised for using an insult to refer to WNBA player Caitlin Clark during his ESPN show on Monday.
McAfee called Clark, 22, a "white bitch" as he explained why she deserved more credit than other newcomers for the league's increased popularity.
Clark was the WNBA's number one draft pick last month, joining Indiana Fever after her time at the University of Iowa, where she broke major college basketball records and boosted the popularity of the women's game.
Posting on X,, external McAfee said he should not have used the offensive term "no matter the context", adding: "I have way too much respect for her and women to put that into the universe."
The former NFL player, 37, said his intention when using the term was to be "complimentary" to Clark.
During Saturday's 71-70 victory over Chicago Sky, Clark was shoulder barged by Chennedy Carter in an incident which has received widespread attention, with debates centred on whether she is being deliberately targeted.
Fever head coach Christie Sides posted on X: "This is unacceptable WNBA. When will the consistent complaints be heard?!? Something has to be done."
At the time officials called an away-from-the-ball foul and did not review it, but the league has since upgraded it to a more serious flagrant 1 violation.
In a segment discussing the impact of several WNBA rookies including Clark, Los Angeles Sparks' Cameron Lee Brink and the Sky's Angel Reese, McAfee argued Clark's performances were the biggest factor in boosting women's basketball.
He said: "I would like the media people that continue to say, ‘this rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class'. No, just call it for what it is, there's one white bitch for the Indiana team who is a superstar".
"Is there a chance that people just enjoy watching her play basketball because [of] how electrifying she is, what she did, what she stood for, how she went about going what she went for? Maybe.
"But instead, we have to hear people say that we only like her because she's white, and she's only popular because the rest of the rookie class is doing what they're doing."
