Overview
- The controversy began when The Athletic’s No Offseason podcast analyst Zena Keita said Olivia Miles had set the all‑time WNBA single‑season rookie assist record during a mid‑season segment, a claim later clipped and circulated on social media.
- The actual league record belongs to Caitlin Clark, who had 337 assists in 40 games in her 2024 rookie season, while Miles has 227–228 assists this season and holds the Minnesota Lynx rookie franchise mark.
- Keita posted a public correction on X saying she had 'misspoke,' that she meant the Lynx rookie assist record, and that producers and fact‑checking should have caught the error, followed by an apology for sharing the bad stat.
- The clip prompted intense online backlash and criticism of The Athletic’s production processes, and it revived a June podcast comment by Keita suggesting Clark might come off the bench, which intensified accusations of bias.
- Commentators and fans say the episode underscores a larger conversation about media standards and how Caitlin Clark’s achievements are covered, and it has increased calls for clearer editorial oversight and routine stat verification.