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The fallout was immediate. Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET and owner of the Washington Mystics, publicly dismissed Clark’s athlete of the year honor, suggesting instead that the acknowledgment should have gone to the entire WNBA for its collective achievements. Johnson argued that the league had taken 28 years to reach this pivotal point, and it was time to recognize all the players, not just one. She emphasized that singling out one player, particularly Clark, could foster resentment and overshadow the talents of other players of color within the league.