Caitlin Clark has been the center of sports conversation dating back to the end of last year’s college basketball season. She entered the WNBA as the No. 1 overall pick and has done nothing to disrespect her billing as the next WNBA superstar.
The tension surrounding the different takes and opinions regarding Clark’s rookie season has taken on a soap opera pitch, with analysts risking friendships and lives to either hold the CC banner or temper the hype surrounding her impact on women’s sports.
Her drama with WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes has already hit a Fever pitch. Swoopes fell out with longtime friend and fellow hoops legend Nancy Leiberman over Swoopes’ coverage of the woman that will be the WNBA’s 2024 Rookie of the Year.
Stephen A. Smith blasted Swoopes for “hating” on Clark and not giving the 6 foot sharp-shooting guard, who broke the WNBA rookie record for assists and three-pointers made and attempted in a season and has led the Fever to its first playoff berth since 2016, her propers.
Male Sports Legends Have Been Defending Clark Against Perceived Hate From Peers and Fans
Magic Johnson and Shannon Sharpe have defended her and believe she has been treated differently than other players. You know how Jason Whitlock feels.
Now Charles Barkley wants to end all of the Clark hate once and for all.
The NBA analyst went on one of his classic profanity-laced rants with The Ringer’s Bill Simmons this week with regard to Clark and the manner in which the general media has covered her historic inaugural WNBA campaign and the poor treatment she’s received from other WNBA players.
He says it’s jealousy and it hasn’t worked in the league’s favor.
“They cannot have f—ed this Caitlin Clark thing up any worse if they tried,” Barkley said.
“People believe what we say on television. Just because people don’t like you or your personality, they can’t get on TV and slander you,” he continued. It’s totally bull—.”
Charles Barkley Doesn’t Like the Way Some Media and Players Hate On Clark
Barkley is most likely referencing the latest Swoopes controversy or various publications still touting Angel Reese as stiff competition for Clark is what is now a runaway ROY contest.
Barkley praised Clark for how she conducts herself as a professional. She has a nasty streak on the court, constantly complains to the refs and definitely plays the agitator, but she doesn’t let any of the noise knock her off her game.
She also doesn’t bark at people or get engaged in social media conflict with fans or opposing players. She keeps it strictly a basketball business and that needs to be respected in this day and age of clout chasing, constant brand building and “look what I did” or “look who offended me” posts.
On the court, she puts pressure on everybody, including the legends. It’s clear how badly they want to defeat her. Even attempt to break her spirit. Clark’s earned the respect of her teammates and the relationship with her coach Christie Sides seems to be much improved.
“The thing I love about her — she never says a word,” Barkley gushed.
Swoopes is a legend who needs to be respected. Nobody is arguing that. However, she had her moment in the sun and now it’s Clark’s turn, and Swoopes is an analyst doing a job for a company who wants the WNBA and its stars to be equally supported. Sports stations are not news stations. They don’t want consumers thinking that the coverage is tainted in any way.
The WNBA is loving Caitlin. Swoopes can’t be out there downplaying her success, not mentioning her name when discussing the Fever and taking pictures with her media-driven archnemesis Angel Reese.
Maybe they aren’t actually enemies, but perception is everything and long ago the sports world decided that these two players would go on to have a Magic-Bird kind of rivalry in the W. So taking a pic with Reese in the midst of this controversy and referring to each other as sisters, is another questionable move by Swoopes.
Sheryl Swoopes and Angel Reese bonding over how petty they’ve acted against Caitlin Clark’s popularity and progress is really weird energy.
Straight out of the Bad Girls Club playbook pic.twitter.com/1XDJvDS6gs
— All Things Chicago Sports (@things_sox) September 4, 2024
Caitlin Clark Is Playing Her Best Ball Of The WNBA Season As Playoffs Approach
On Wednesday, the same day she was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month, Caitlin Clark notched the second triple-double of her career as the Indiana Fever beat the Los Angeles Sparks 93-86 for their 18th win of the season.
With her offensive accolades and the way she helped break the longest active playoff drought in league history, in addition to the clear progress that has been made, since starting the season 0-5 and then 2-8.
They are 16-9 from that low point and, despite the media circus, Clark has found a way to block out the chatter, galvanize her squad and work within the system to put others in position to have huge nights as well.
Barkley is right. The best way for the WNBA to market the moment is to focus on the action on the court. However, the ratings and attention being paid to the WNBA through an explosion on social media, is based around drama and taking sides. Clark has earned the right to be celebrated and represented accurately by media covering the sport. People will continue to be emotionally and communally driven when it comes to sports.
