Charles Barkley Says WNBA 'F***ed' Up Caitlin Clark Situation

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Former NBA superstar turned broadcasting superstar Charles Barkley has never been shy about his opinion on Caitlin Clark and the WNBA.

Barkley, like anyone who thinks rationally and reasonably, understands that Clark is the biggest star in WNBA history and there is no close second. In fact, her impact on the league is one of the largest of any single athlete on any single league, ever. 

WNBA ratings are up by hundreds of percent and arenas are selling out – including NBA arenas when Clark comes to town – nightly. 

These things did not exist before Clark. 

Charles Barkley told Bill Simmons that the WNBA could not "have f***ed this Caitlin Clark thing up any worse if they tried."

Charles Barkley told Bill Simmons that the WNBA could not "have f***ed this Caitlin Clark thing up any worse if they tried. 

(Getty Images)

Yet, many players in the WNBA seem angry at Clark because she's so popular. Despite the fact that Clark's popularity is bringing more attention, money and fame to the same women who don't appear to enjoy Clark's presence. 

Charles Barkley took aim at those women while speaking to Bill Simmons of "The Ringer."

While I agree with Barkley that there's a lot of pettiness and jealousy among the other WNBA players, I don't necessarily agree that it has "f***ed" anything up. 

If anything, the flagrant fouls against Clark, the mocking of Clark, and the throwing of Clark under the bus by the media has only served to raise the profile of the league. 

Let's be honest: part of the reason that the WNBA has historically struggled to draw fans and attention is that the basketball is just not good enough for most people. 

Why watch the WNBA when you can watch the NBA or men's college basketball and see a higher-quality product? 

But Clark has captured fans in a way that transcends simply the way the women's game is played. She's exciting in a way that people haven't seen before from a female player. 

And you add in the drama that comes along with other players disliking her for those reasons, and you have a perfect recipe for increased attention. 

As I wrote earlier in the year, other WNBA players hating on Clark is GREAT for the league. 

I don't think anything has changed in that regard. 

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.