A reporter at the Indy Star apologized to Caitlin Clark after a cringeworthy exchange with the WNBA's top pick, saying he was clearly on the "wrong side" of the awkward encounter.
Sports reporter Gregg Doyel, who was called a "sexist pervert" and told his credentials should be revoked, offered his mea culpa to the former Iowa standout and first pick of the Indiana Fever on social media and in newspaper column.
The unseemly exchange involved Doyel invoking Clark's signature heart gesture during a news conference Wednesday introducing the Fever's No. 1 pick.
"Today in my uniquely oafish way, while welcoming @CaitlinClark22 to Indy, I formed my hands into her signature . My comment afterward was clumsy and awkward. I sincerely apologize," Doyel wrote on the social media platform X. "Please know my heart (literally and figuratively) was well-intentioned. I will do better."
He followed up by admitting his error in a column published on the newspaper's website later Wednesday.
"In my haste to be clever, to be familiar and welcoming (or so I thought), I offended Caitlin and her family. After going through denial, and then anger - I'm on the wrong side of this? Me??? - I now realize what I said and how I said it was wrong, wrong, wrong. I mean it was just wrong," he said.
"Caitlin Clark, I'm so sorry," Doyel said.
At the press conference, Doyel flashed the heart sign as he began to lob some questions at Clark.
"You like that?" Clark responded.
"I like that you're here," Doyel said.
"Yeah, I do that at my family after every game," she said.
"Start doing it to me and we'll get along fine," Doyel said.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy blasted Doyel.
"Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever Career Begins With Gregg Doyel Being A sexiest pervert At Introductory Press Conference
@IndyStarSports do something about this pervert," he posted on his X account.
He corrected the posting, saying "to clarify I meant to call Gregg Doyel a sexist pervert. Which he is based on his nauseating actions today."
Shireen Ahmed, a sports reporter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, also weighed in. "Almost every one of my women colleagues & students in sport media and sports journalism are sharing that clip of Gregg Doyel and Caitlin Clark with disgust. We are rightly furious and fed up," she said on X. "His creds should be revoked and offered to an unentitled journalist who respects women."
