In her rookie season, Caitlin Clark broke a number of records, led a dramatic turnaround for the Indiana Fever franchise, and brought hordes of new fans to the WNBA.
However, the season was also marked by controversial fouls, feuds with opposing players and widespread criticism from former and current players about unfair favoritism toward Clark.
Basketball Hall of Fame member Charles Barkley spoke out against players who have undermined the positive attention Clark’s rookie season brought to the WNBA this year during an appearance on the “Bill Simmons Podcast” on Wednesday.
“These ladies – and I’m a WNBA fan – couldn’t have messed up Caitlin Clark any worse if they tried,” Barkley said on the show.
Clark led the Fever to their first playoff berth in eight seasons on Tuesday, ending the WNBA’s longest postseason drought. She is averaging a league-leading 18.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.4 assists and has broken multiple league records in each of her last three games.
“This girl is incredible,” Barkley said of Clark. “She’s drawn so much attention and so much scrutiny, both in college and in the pros, and these women are so petty jealous. You’re like, ‘Damn, what’s going on here?'”
Clark has had to deal with several questionable fouls this year, the most notable of which came against the Chicago Sky.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Diamond DeShields, No. 0 of the Chicago Sky, runs into Caitlin Clark, No. 22 of the Indiana Fever, and is charged with an intentional foul against her at Wintrust Arena on August 30, 2024, in Chicago. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
On Friday, Chicago Sky player Diamond DeShields sent Clark across the floor for a foul that was later upgraded to a misdemeanor foul. After the game, DeShields posted a screenshot of her notification list on Instagram that included a series of hate comments from a user.
Clark was subjected to an infamous illegal hip check by Chicago Sky forward Chennedy Carter on June 1. Carter subsequently refused to answer questions about the incident at the postgame press conference, but repeatedly criticized Clark on social media.
Clark took another questionable hit to the head on June 16 from Sky freshman and longtime college rival Angel Reese.
Sky Trainer Theresa Witherspoon She even publicly confronted Clark to the media, telling reporters on June 27, “Nobody talks more trash than Caitlin.”
Holly Rowe, ESPN women’s basketball commentator, told Fox News Digital last month that the tough physical treatment of Clark is good for the WNBA because “he’s meant to be embarrassing.”
Barkley also called out WNBA personalities on television who have “slandered” Clark this year.
“People believe what we say on TV. Just because people don’t like you or your personality, they can’t go on TV and slander you,” Barkley said.
WNBA icon Sheryl Swoopes explains false statements by Caitlin Clark and speaks out against her former friend Nancy Lieberman
College basketball commentator Charles Barkley on air before the Final Four championship game of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Barkley did not name anyone, but his comments come amid a controversy currently raging around WNBA Hall of Famer and current Dallas Wings commentator Sheryl Swoopes.
Swoopes were infamously made questionable statements about the length and statistics of Clark’s college career during an appearance on the Gil’s Arena podcast in February.
When discussing how Clark broke the all-time NCAA basketball scoring record in her senior year in 2023, Swoopes implied that Clark played five college seasons and made over 40 shots per game. Swoopes was also criticized for a comment that included the phrase “25-year-olds playing against 20-year-olds” during a discussion of Clark’s college accomplishments, but Swoopes did not directly imply that Clark was older than her stated age.
Swoopes posted screenshots on X of alleged messages in which Clark apologized to the rookie for the false statements, and on Tuesday kept a distance from X, saying the statements were the result of confusion about the COVID-19 pandemic extending other athletes’ college careers.
Swoopes was recently absent from her commentary duties for Clark’s game against the Wings on Sunday.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said Swoopes was removed from the show due to her personal feelings toward Clark during a recent episode of “The Stephen A. Smith Show.”
The Fever will look to move up the playoff standings on Wednesday as they begin a six-game home series against the Los Angeles Sparks before concluding their season on Sept. 19 against the Washington Mystics.
During Swoopes’ absence from the commentary booth on Sunday, Clark scored 28 points and 12 assists to lead Indiana to its fourth straight win and six in the last seven games. Clark scored the 595th point of her career, surpassing WNBA legend Tamika Catchings as the all-time rookie single-season scorer in Fever historyAt the end of Sunday’s game, she had 617 points.
Clark seemed to have broken a new record in every game she has played in recently.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Indiana Fever defenseman Caitlin Clark (No. 22) shoots as Jacy Sheldon (No. 4) and Natasha Howard (right) of the Dallas Wings defend during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
In Friday’s game against the Sky, Clark became the first player in WNBA history to record 30 points and 12 assists, becoming the fifth player and first rookie to record at least 30 points and 10 assists in a game. In addition, Clark now has 12 double-doubles, breaking the WNBA record for most double-doubles by a guard in a single season.
Just three days earlier, Clark had set the record for most three-point shots by a rookie, surpassing the mark originally set by the Atlanta Dreams Rhyne Howard. She made 3 of 12 three-point shots and had 19 points, five rebounds and five assists as Indiana earned its 15th win.
That same night, she also became the first WNBA player to record at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in six consecutive WNBA games. It was her 10th consecutive game with at least 15 points and five rebounds, putting her in the elite club of players to achieve that mark, along with Diana Taurasi.
Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage on Xand subscribe the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
