Caitlin Clark’s boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, has taken on a role as an assistant coach at Butler University. During one of the team’s games, Clark showed up to support McCaffery in the stands. However, the broadcast crew seemed to focus more on Clark, identifying her as the “2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year,” while McCaffery was labeled as “WNBA ROTY Caitlin Clark’s Boyfriend.” Even McCaffery’s brother, Patrick, who plays on the team, was involved in the gimmick as his name card read, “WNBA ROTY Caitlin Clark’s Boyfriend’s Brother.” This move drew mixed reactions on social media, with some criticizing the broadcast for prioritizing Clark’s public stature over the McCafferys’ roles.
Connor McCaffery had a successful career at Iowa, playing 166 games and reaching the NCAA tournament in each of his full seasons. He averaged 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds during his time at Iowa and holds the second-best career assist-to-turnover ratio in NCAA history. McCaffery met Clark while she was playing for the women’s team at Iowa, and they began dating in April 2023. McCaffery took on a coaching position with the Indiana Pacers in May of that year. By a twist of fate, both Clark and McCaffery ended up in Indiana, as Clark was drafted by the Indiana Fever, and McCaffery landed a coaching job in Indianapolis. The couple celebrated their first anniversary in April 2024.
The couple made a trip to New York City during the WNBA Olympics break, where they attended a Yankees game. However, it was only Clark who was shown being given a tour of the Yankees clubhouse and taking photos with star players Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, and Juan Soto. This further perpetuated the focus on Clark’s public image over McCaffery’s official coaching position and his brother’s role on the team. Despite the attention on Clark, McCaffery remains focused on his coaching career at Butler, located just seven miles from the Fever’s arena in Indianapolis, where Clark plays.
The broadcast’s treatment of McCaffery and his family members as connected to Clark rather than focusing on their individual roles drew criticism on social media, with some users calling it “cringe” and claiming that it was disrespectful. However, many others mocked McCaffery over the situation, highlighting the disparity in attention between Clark’s public stature and McCaffery’s coaching position. Fox News Digital chose not to include specific comments from users who mocked McCaffery in this situation. Despite the attention on Clark, McCaffery has a successful background in basketball and is focused on his coaching career at Butler while supporting Clark in her endeavors with the Indiana Fever.
Connor McCaffery’s brother, Patrick, who also plays on the Butler team, was also involved in the broadcast’s gimmick, with his name card reading, “WNBA ROTY Caitlin Clark’s Boyfriend’s Brother.” Patrick had a standout performance in the game, scoring 23 points and grabbing eight rebounds. He is in his sixth college season, with his first at Butler after transferring from Iowa, where both Clark and Connor also played. As the focus remains on Clark’s public image, the McCaffery family continues to navigate their roles in basketball, with Connor focusing on his coaching career at Butler and supporting Clark as she plays for the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis.
