The conversation about the treatment of Caitlin Clark in the WNBA is a loaded one.
On the one hand, there’s the treatment of Clark on the court. While she is a rookie point guard, she has admitted to noticing the additional physicality that’s brought her way.
“I think everybody’s physical with me,” Clark said after the Indiana Fever’s loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday. “They get away with things that probably other people don’t get away. But that’s just the fact of the matter. This is a very physical game. You’re going to get pressured, that’s just professional basketball. I think it is what it is, honestly.”
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But there’s also the conversation in the media about Clark’s treatment. JJ Redick said he sees a “dislike” for Clark among older players, LeBron James said he’s noticed that his 19-year-old son, Bronny James, is the target of animosity, similar to the kind that has directed towards Clark.
And Charles Barkley went on a passionate rant on “Inside The NBA” to even call out many of the women who he believes are mistreating Clark.
“You women out there, y’all petty man,” Barkley said. “Hey LeBron, you’re 100% right 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.”
There’s also a rhetoric being pushed that puts race at the forefront of Clark’s success over other black players.
On ‘The View’ this morning, Sunny Hostin weighed in on debate over Caitlin Clark’s race:
“If Caitlin Clark is the vehicle … I have no problem with that.”
“But I do think she’s more relatable because she’s white, because she’s attractive.” pic.twitter.com/sRe9P9wBGd
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 22, 2024
On the flip side, there are many people in the league denying any mistreatment of Clark. Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon gave a passionate speech to the media earlier this week to address some of the media comments.
“I think she’s amazing,” Hammon said. “Our league loves her. We’re just doing our job … I think this narrative of everybody hating on Caitlin Clark. And even the black and white thing — knock it off. It’s not there. It’s not there. So shut down the noise. And by the way, what is she, 22? She’s a 22-year-old woman with a lot of pressure. She’s not perfect. She’s a rookie in this league. Back off.”
Amid all the conversations going on about Clark, Barkley clarified his comments when asked about them on the podcast “SI Media with Jimmy Traina” on Thursday, May 30 by saying that his biggest qualm has been with the media and not actually the women in the WNBA.
“There have been a couple of girls taking shots at her, but I’m really talking about media personalities taking shots at Caitlin Clark,” Barkley said.
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He attacked the narrative that it is white privilege that has propelled Clark to success.
“The reason she’s getting all these things [is] she just took two teams to the Final Four, she just set the record for most points that was scored in college. They’re not making stuff up,” Barkley said.
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He added that everyone should just give Clark her “flowers” instead of downgrading her now that she’s seeing her bumps in the WNBA. He also said that he brought it up only because he saw James’ comments and knows that he went through a similar thing as Clark.
“I wasn’t going to say anything until I saw what LeBron said,” Barkley said. “I agree wit him because he’d been in that situation. People just petty, man. And it’s really unfortunate.”
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