Caitlin Clark has been on the receiving end of so much hate these days after making her debut in the WNBA. Apart from LeBron James’ defense of her, NBA legend Charles Barkley also spoke out in favor of the Indiana Fever star.
Before she made it to the big leagues, Clark dominated women’s college basketball as the Iowa Hawkeyes’ number one option. By the time her four-year stint was over, she established herself as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer and cemented her legacy in the sport. However, she failed to win the championship during that time, putting a dent on her impressive run.
After the Hawkeyes championship loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks, Clark made her way to the WNBA when she was selected first by the Indiana Fever. Before she could make her debut, though, the rookie was right in the center of so much hype, including signing lucrative endorsement deals and generating a lot of buzz for the league.
That all changed with the Fever unable to win a single game since Clark made her debut. In that stretch, the Fever star averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, while committing 5.8 turnovers and 3.4 fouls. Since then, more and more players have expressed their disdain for Clark on and off the court.
NBA Legend Charles Barkley Calls Out Petty Individuals Who Have Been Hating on WNBA Star Caitlin Clark
Apart from James standing up for Clark, the Fever rookie also found an ally in NBA icon Charles Barkley. In a video shared by Complex Sports on X:
Charles Barkley comes to the defense of LeBron James and Caitlin Clark:
“LeBron you are 100% right on these girls hating on Caitlin Clark. Y’all petty.”
(via: @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/thprlOHbIC
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) May 23, 2024
Taking a look at the bigger picture, Clark never said or did to offend other players in the league. What’s out of her control, though, is how the public has gravitated towards her, leading to the WNBA’s resurgence in popularity.
It remains to be seen when the Fever will win a game and what the critics will say about Clark by then. What’s certain, though, is that all the hate she’s experiencing right now doesn’t stand on solid ground.
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