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Retired NBA player-turned-analyst Charles Barkley criticized WNBA players on Wednesday for allegedly hating on superstar rookie Caitlin Clark. He suggested that instead of criticizing her, they should thank her for enhancing the league's reputation. His remarks, though, left WNBA athletes puzzled.
In his rant, Barkley called out "petty" WNBA players for disliking Clark, who has attracted significant attention and increased viewership for the league.
"You women out there, y'all petty man. LeBron, you are 100% right on these girls hating on Caitlin Clark. Y'all petty girls," Barkley said.
"Y'all should be thanking that girl for getting y'all private charters and all the money and visibility she's bringing into the WNBA. Don't be petty like dudes."
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WNBA veteran Dearica Hamby, who plays for the LA Sparks, suggested Barkley's comments were baseless and merely echoed LeBron James' earlier statements about the intense criticism big-name rookies like Clark and himself faced. She said:
“Seriously…. wtf are you talking about….”
On his "Mind the Game" podcast, LeBron James advised Caitlin Clark to simply have fun and enjoy herself despite facing "hate and animosity."
“I’m rooting for Caitlin,” James said. “I’ve been in that seat before, I’ve walked that road before. I’m just kind of in this mode right now because I’m getting the same thing from watching my son, a 19-year-old, getting all this hate and animosity when he’s just a kid trying to live out his dream.”
James criticized those who hinder young athletes from pursuing their dreams.
“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 whatever they can to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Liberty’s Jonquel Jones is confused about the Caitlin Clark hate
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), New York Liberty’s Jonquel Jones expressed puzzlement over the alleged hate directed at Caitlin Clark.
“Interested to know who are all the women that are hating on CC? I’m seeing a lot of coverage about it but I don’t see the hate? I’m also not a big comment reader so I might’ve missed it,” she said.
Before Caitlin Clark entered the league, several WNBA players expressed excitement about giving the former Iowa standout her “welcome to the league” moment.
Clark has had a shaky start to her WNBA career, losing her first four games, averaging 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.
She was selected as the first overall pick by the Indiana Fever after a stellar collegiate career at Iowa.
