A’ja Wilson’s old “pettiness” admission sparks new debate after Linda Cohn links her exit to Caitlin Clark

A’ja Wilson’s decision to withdraw from Team USA’s FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup roster has taken another turn after former ESPN host Linda Cohn questioned whether Caitlin Clark’s growing attention played a role. Wilson’s absence was officially linked to health concerns, with reports pointing to a back issue. Now, an old clip of Wilson talking about how “pettiness” fuels her has resurfaced, adding another layer to the debate.A’ja Wilson’s “Pettiness” Comments resurface after Linda Cohn’s Caitlin Clark remarksCohn raised questions about Wilson’s late withdrawal because the specific health issue was not publicly explained by USA Basketball. She wondered whether Wilson wanted to avoid watching the World Cup become centered around Clark.“Could A’ja simply not want to deal with that? Could there be some insecurity, dare I say…could she be thinking, ‘I’m the four-time MVP, I’m the best player in the world, why does everything have to be about Caitlin Clark?’” Cohn said.The comments drew a strong response from South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, who coached Wilson in college. Staley replied to Cohn on X with three simple words: “Linda, please!”The discussion grew again when an older clip of Wilson from Hot Ones resurfaced. In it, she openly admitted that being petty can push her during competition.“Absolutely. It’s sickening. It’s really bad how much pettiness fuels me, but yes. You can talk about anything, I’m gonna find something within it. I don’t like the way you didn’t use punctuation in your tweet. Like, I’m mad. People be testing me, and I love to let them know that I test back. I like to push buttons, too.”That clip does not show Wilson discussing Clark or her World Cup decision. Still, its timing has made the old comments part of the current conversation.Linda Cohn explains Her A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark commentsWilson’s withdrawal came shortly before Team USA began its World Cup campaign in Berlin. Reuters reported that USA Basketball listed health reasons for her absence, while reports also noted Wilson had been dealing with a back issue.Cohn later explained that she was questioning the lack of details, rather than claiming she knew Wilson’s real reason for sitting out. “I went right to the source, USA Basketball. It cited health reasons, no details given. I was curious. … So why didn’t USA Basketball know about it? They detailed Kelsey Plum’s injury but not A’ja’s. I was just asking questions.”The numbers also explain why the two players are often compared. Wilson is averaging 26.0 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Las Vegas Aces, while Clark is averaging 22.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and a league-best 8.4 assists for the Indiana Fever.The key point, however, is that there is no evidence that Wilson skipped the World Cup because of Clark. The known reason remains her health, while Cohn’s comments remain speculation.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.