Charles Barkley, a renowned member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, publicly criticized WNBA players who express disdain towards Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever guard chosen as the top pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Charles Barkley | Biography, Stats, Height, Teams, & Facts | Britannica

Caitlin Clark made her mark in NCAA history as the highest-scoring Division I basketball athlete. She steered the Iowa Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship appearances, facing defeats against LSU and South Carolina in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Clark’s selection as the first overall pick by Indiana in last month’s WNBA Draft has significantly heightened the league’s visibility, contributing to a substantial increase in attendance and television viewership during the early phases of the 2024 season.

Before the commencement of Game 1 in the Western Conference Finals featuring the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks, Barkley stood up for Clark, denouncing her detractors as petty individuals.

“You women out there, ya’ll petty, man. Hey, LeBron, you’re a hundred percent right on these girls hating on Caitlin Clark. Ya’ll petty, girls. I expect men to be petty, because we’re the most insecure group in the world. Y’all should be thanking that girl….Don’t be petty like dudes.”


Barkley’s defense of Clark came soon after Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James backed the superstar, stating that she’s “the reason why” there will be “great things” happening in the WNBA.

The Fever carry a record of 0-4 into Wednesday night’s clash with the Seattle Storm. But Caitlin Clark has certainly done her part, averaging a team-leading 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per contest through four games.

After their showdown in Seattle, the Fever will continue their road trip with a road showdown against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday. They’ll conclude the trek with a Saturday night contest against the Las Vegas Aces.

Caitlin Clark Has Learned To Block Out The Critics

Wilson deal: Caitlin Clark just did something no athlete has done since Michael Jordan | CNN Business
Even the greatest of professional athletes have their fair share of haters and critics. LeBron will tell you all about it. Ask Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Aaron Judge, Cristiano Ronaldo and Novak Djokovic, among others.

Being the best means you’ll naturally attract plenty of haters due to pettiness and jealousy. Clark was excellent at ignoring the haters during her illustrious career at Iowa, so of course she’ll have no problem doing the same in the pros.