Caitlin Clark's had a tough road through her first week and change in the WNBA.
The No. 1 pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft has yet to steer the Indiana Fever to a win as the team is now 0-5. Clark is posting impressive counting stats of 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, but she's shooting just 40% from the field, 32% from beyond the arc and is also turning the ball over 5.8 times per game.
She's also been the recipient of some hard fouls and defensive plays from opponents.
Caitlin Clark running into a Breanna Stewart screen 😬 pic.twitter.com/F6coOKcet5
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) May 18, 2024
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JJ Redick pointed out on a recent episode of his podcast "Mind The Game" with LeBron James that he sees a "dislike and vitriol" from older players toward Clark.
James also defended Clark saying that he's "rooting" for her to succeed. He also compared his own career to hers as someone who entered the NBA in 2003 with a ton of expectations, and then also mentioning how difficult it is for his son who is trying to make the NBA.
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"I'm getting the same thing from watching my son who is a 19-year-old kind of getting a lot of animosity and hatred towards him when he's just a kid trying to live out his dream," James said. "There's a very small number of men and women that actually get to live out their dream of playing a professional sport, and we have grown ass men and women out here doing everything they can to try to make sure that doesn't happen."
Following James' comments, Charles Barkley then went on a passionate rant on "Inside The NBA" on Wednesday night in defense of Clark.
"You women out there, y'all petty man," Barkley said. "Hey LeBron, you're 100% on these girls hating on Caitlin Clark. Y'all petty, girls. I expected men to be petty cause we're the most insecure group in the world. Y'all should be thanking that girl for getting y'all ass private charters. All the money and visibility she's bringing to the WNBA. What she's accomplished — give her her flowers. Stop being petty all you women out there ... Caitlin Clark, thank you for bringing all that money and shine to the WNBA."
"You woman out there, y'all petty, man... Y'all should be thanking [Caitlin Clark] for getting y'all a*s private charters. All the money and visibility she's bringing to the WNBA."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 23, 2024
Charles Barkley says WNBA players need to give Caitlin her flowers 💐pic.twitter.com/l959GWr1JR
But Barkley, James, Redick did not name any specific players who have been taking shots at Clark. ESPN analyst and former WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike pointed out in a tweet in response to Barkley's comments that she's only heard positive things from players in the WNBA about Clark and the rest of the 2024 rookie class.
"Every WNBA player I know supports this rookie class and are grateful for the spotlight & money that Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and co. are bringing to the W!" Ogwumike wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Charles and Inside the NBA team are the GOATs of the industry, so respectfully I’ll offer my perspective with love. ❤️
— Chiney Ogwumike (@chiney) May 23, 2024
Every WNBA player I know supports this rookie class and are grateful for the spotlight & money that Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and co. are bringing to the W! https://t.co/p9jQogjdVH
Ogwumike's comments seem more in line to the treatment Clark has seen across women's basketball, at least publicly.
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley took time to thank Clark in the middle of the her team's NCAA championship celebration in April. The New York Liberty's Jonquel Jones asked the WNBA media to give Clark some reprieve after the two teams faced off on Saturday, May 18.
Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones talk about Caitlin Clark's transition to the WNBA.
— New York Liberty Videos (@SNYLiberty) May 18, 2024
Jones: "I think the media needs to give her a little bit of grace and time to develop into a player. She's learning every game as she's out there." pic.twitter.com/pAkD8JRzuN
This may have started when WNBA legend Diana Taurasi said that "reality is coming" to Clark when she enters the professional level. Taurasi spoke on Arizona Sports 98.7 last week to say that her comments were blown out of proportion and weren't meant to diminish Clark, just present the reality that any superstar college player faces when entering the pros.
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"You know these days, everything takes a life of their own," Taurasi said. "Every little snippet, every little comment, any quote taken out of context. Look, I only said it because when I watch games — and I'm sure when you talk to any professional athlete — you think about what they'll look like as a pro. How will it translate? It's going to translate. Like any college quarterback, it's going to take time."
Despite the comments from WNBA stars like Taurasi and Jones, there is still a definite possibility that there are players who do not like the attention Clark has received and have just not spoken publicly. As Redick mentioned, this might be seen through the actions of players in the games for the way Clark is being defended and challenged.
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