WNBA players report increased stalking cases amid league popularity surge
The Guardian Sport • 2 min read • Latest: Sep 8, 2026, 9:00 AM
Last updated Sep 8, 2026
WNBA players face rising concerns regarding safety and fan conduct as the league experiences significant growth. Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark recently disclosed that she dealt with a stalker during the 2025 season. Michael Lewis, a 55-year-old man from Texas, sent hundreds of threats and sexually explicit messages to Clark between December 2024 and January 2025. Lewis was arrested at a hotel in Indianapolis and sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison last July. Clark stated that the situation caused her to fear for her safety and alter her public appearance. Sophie Cunningham has also been identified as a target of stalking behavior within the league. While players typically value positive interactions with supporters, officials are addressing the dangers associated with the recent surge in WNBA interest.
- •Michael Lewis received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence last July for stalking Caitlin Clark.
- •Lewis sent hundreds of threatening and explicit messages between December 2024 and January 2025.
- •Police arrested Lewis at a hotel in Indianapolis.
- •Caitlin Clark changed her public appearance due to safety fears during the 2025 season.
- •Sophie Cunningham is also cited as having experienced stalking.
- 9:00 AMThe Guardian Sport — Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham have been stalked. They’re far from alone in the WNBA
"Players generally welcome interacting with their fans. But as the league’s popularity surges, there are dangers to be aware of Caitlin Clark spent most of the 2025 WNBA season sidelined with a series of injuries that forced her to miss more than 30 games. But she also spent part of the season (and the preceding offseason) quietly navigating a tumultuous and scary reality: a 55-year-old man was stalking her, and he was convinced they were in a relationship. That man, Michael Lewis, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison last July. Lewis sent Clark “hundreds” of messages – many of which were “threats and sexually explicit” – between 12 December 2024 and 11 January 2025. Lewis, who is from Texas, was arrested at a hotel in Indianapolis, where Clark plays for the Indiana Fever. The case took a toll on Clark: she said she feared for her safety and had changed her appearance in public. Continue reading...
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