Charles Barkley Mocks Jealous Women Complaining About Caitlin Clark's Popularity
Charles Barkley hilariously called out Caitlin Clark's detractors as the Indiana Fever star received criticism, seemingly for her skyrocketing popularity and for being white.
Even WNBA players are hatin' on Clark, which has many fans scratching their heads after all the positive press it's brought the WNBA.
INDIANAPOLIS - Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever dribbles the ball during the third quarter in the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 20, 2024. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
NBA TNT Analyst Charles Barkley. (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
In Barkley's opinion, these women calling out Clark rather than giving C.C. her flowers are coming off as incredibly "petty."
In signature Chuck fashion, he went on a tirade to put these Clark critics on notice.
Barkley didn't hold back. He agreed with recent comments made by LeBron James, working as a strong reality check for Clark's haters.
"You women out there, y'all petty man," Barkley said on Wednesday.
"LeBron, you are 100 percent right on these girls hating on Caitlin Clark. Y'all petty girls," Barkley said, "Y'all should be thanking that girl for getting y'all a*s private charters and all the money and visibility she's bringing into the WNBA. Don't be petty like dudes."
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It was another highlight moment for Barkley and another reason to lament the end of Inside the NBA era of basketball coverage on TNT.
Barkley challenged Clark's haters to acknowledge the good attention that Caitlin brings to the league and to stop cannibalizing their league star.
Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson bashed Clark's popularity as an outcome of her being white, claiming black women struggle to gain the same relevance as the Iowa phenom because of skin color.
LAS VEGAS - A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces talks to teammate Kate Martin in a game against the Phoenix Mercury at Michelob ULTRA Arena on May 21. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
DALLAS - Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts during the second half against the LSU Lady Tigers during the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament championship game at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2023. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Caitlin Clark's draft night generated a 2.5 million viewer broadcast, showing off the box office appeal she's built based on her freakish shooting abilities and gifted ability as a facilitator.
Anyone who's watched Caitlin Clark play attests to her flashy style of play, which is unique to her skill set. A'ja Wilson and pundits like Jemele Hill claim that Clark's race has been a major factor in her success, essentially criticizing Clark's race.
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve jabbed the WNBA for promoting Fever games.
The WNBA showed a sizable investment in its future by granting charter flights, courtesy of Caitlin Clark's popularity. Reactions like Reeve's show an unfortunate contingent that lives in the WNBA that is seemingly happier without the Clark Effect, also playing in a league that has struggled to gain relevancy since its founding in 1996.
So far, Clark's popularity has netted major benefits for WNBA players. People check in to watch Clark play on television, granting visibility to the players around her. Clark's league debut against the Connecticut Sun sold out the venue for the second time in Connecticut Sun's history. The Caitlin Effect drew 1.56 million viewers to the broadcast. It's difficult to imagine the WNBA's popularity picking up steam under Clark with players and personnel continually pushing her away.
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