Basketball Hall of Famer, Charles Barkley, has come to the defense of Indiana Fever rookie, Caitlin Clark.
In anticipation of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals featuring the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, Barkley openly criticized the “petty” critics of Clark within the WNBA.
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In a fiery statement on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” broadcast, Charles Barkley didn’t hold back in expressing his opinion. Addressing women, he stated, “You ladies out there, I must say, you’re being a little petty. Instead, you should be grateful to Caitlin Clark for providing you with those exclusive private charters. She’s really making a significant impact on the WNBA, both in terms of financial gains and increased visibility.” Barkley’s comments emphasized the positive contributions that Clark is bringing to the league.
Barkley did not explicitly mention the person he was referencing, but he did bring up remarks made by LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar. James spoke out against the “animosity and hatred” that was being directed towards Clark and his son Bronny James during an episode of his podcast, “Mind the Game,” on Wednesday.
LeBron James emphatically stated that Caitlin Clark is the catalyst for a myriad of remarkable achievements to come in the WNBA. He emphasized that only a select few individuals, both men and women, have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of playing professional sports. Shockingly, there are individuals who go to extreme lengths to prevent this from happening. James finds this behavior perplexing and utterly bizarre.
In a later statement, Barkley expressed his agreement with James’s comments about the criticism faced by Caitlin Clark. He acknowledged her remarkable achievements and thanked her for bringing attention and success to the WNBA. Barkley said, “What she’s accomplished, give her her flowers… Caitlin Clark, thank you for bringing all that money and shine to the WNBA.”
Clark, who holds the record for being the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, was selected by the Indiana Fever with the No. 1 overall pick after her impressive career at Iowa. The buzz around Clark has extended beyond college basketball and has had a significant impact on the entire WNBA. In fact, her debut in the regular season attracted an average audience of 2.13 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA game in nearly 23 years.
Charles Barkley has expressed his opinion on the attention being given to Caitlin Clark, stating that WNBA players are being “petty” in their response. In a recent interview, Barkley addressed the issue and shared his thoughts on the matter. He believes that the focus should be on celebrating Clark’s talent and achievements, rather than engaging in negativity and jealousy. Barkley’s comments have sparked a conversation about the treatment of female athletes and the importance of supporting one another in the sports community.
