When Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA, some people believed she faced an inordinate amount of criticism from fellow players and former greats. However, women’s basketball legend Sue Bird thinks the situation was misunderstood.
On the new “Good Game with Sarah Spain” podcast, Bird argued that much of the backlash Clark experienced was merely a result of competitive spirit among players. “Caitlin will go down as, whatever you want to call it, the one who made the change, this pivotal person,” Bird said, according to the New York Post. “She will, 100 percent. But in other leagues … it was never like when LeBron [James] came, ‘Oh, Michael Jordan didn’t matter.’ And for some reason, that happened, and it caused this whole thing. When the reality was, no player felt that way toward Caitlin. Everybody was very welcoming and inviting, and they mistook competitive talk for hate, with hating on somebody.”
Bird emphasized that competitive talk can often be misinterpreted as hostility. “There is a thin line there, and some people do both, but I think the majority of WNBA players, with their play, with their talk, it was just competition.”
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Fortunately, the noise surrounding Clark has quieted in recent weeks, thanks in large part to her impressive performance on the court. The Indiana Fever rookie star is currently averaging 17.1 points, 8.2 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Her stellar play has not only propelled the Fever into playoff contention but has also made her the favorite to win Rookie of the Year.
Clark’s achievements include breaking the WNBA single-game assist record in her final game before the league’s month-long break for the Olympics. She is set to make her All-Star Game debut Saturday night, representing Team WNBA against Team USA.
As Clark continues to excel, it’s clear that her talent and determination are speaking volumes, helping to dispel any misunderstandings about her reception in the league.
Her journey serves as a testament to the competitive nature of professional sports and the resilience required to thrive amidst scrutiny.
