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Charles Barkley made it clear Wednesday he’s a fan of what Caitlin Clark is doing for women’s basketball.
During “Inside the NBA” before Game 1 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks, Barkley looked at the camera and appeared to address WNBA players for recent hate Clark has been getting since entering the league.
“You women out there, y’all petty, man,” Barkley said. “LeBron, you’re 100% right on these girls hating on Caitlin Clark. Y’all 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 for getting y’all a– 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.”
The comments came a day after Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James talked about Clark on his “Mind the Game” podcast with J.J. Redick.
“The one thing that I love that she’s bringing to her sport, more people want to watch,” James said. “More people want to tune in. Don’t get it twisted, don’t get it f—– up, Caitlin Clark is the reason why a lot of great things are going to happen to the WNBA. But for her individually, I don’t think she should get involved.”
James added how Clark’s criticism is similar to what his son, Bronny, is facing as he attempts to make the jump from USC to the NBA.
“I’m just kind of in this mode right now because I’m getting the same thing from watching my son who is a 19-year-old kind of getting a lot of animosity and hatred towards him when he’s just a kid trying to live out his dream,” James said. “There’s a very small number of men and women that actually get to live out their dream of playing a professional sport.
“We have grown a– men and women out here doing whatever they can to try and make sure that does not happen. That is the weirdest thing in the world. It is what it is. I’m glad Caitlin has a great head on her shoulders.”
Clark and the Indiana Fever are 0-4 to start the season, though the No. 1 overall pick from Iowa is off to a solid individual start. She’s averaging 17 points, 5.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks on a 41/34/100 shooting split.