Sue Bird Says It's 'Competitive Talk' Not 'Hate' That Welcomed Caitlin Clark To WNBA, But That's Not Reality

Sue Bird is one of the best WNBA players ever. But she proved earlier this week that her powers of perception leave a lot to be desired.

Bird appeared on Friday’s episode of the "Good Game with Sarah Spain" podcast( which is an iHeartPodcast that is part of the company's new Women's Sports Audio Network). One of the topics of discussion was the rise of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. 

One of the more shocking things about this part of the conversation was the fact that Bird claimed that you and I and everyone else who has followed the WNBA has misinterpreted the hatred that Clark has received in her short time in the league. In fact, Bird thinks that the league as a whole has been very welcoming to her.

Read: Caitlin Clark Is Going To Be Seriously Injured If Racial Hostility Continues | Bobby Burack

"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 said. "I think the majority of WNBA players with their play, with their talk, it was just competition, not hate for a person."

I don’t know what alternate dimension Bird is living in, but it sure isn’t reality.

Bird Incorrectly Thinks WNBA Stars Have Loved Clark Coming To The League

With popularity comes jealousy, and many WNBA players have proven that to be true this season. Clark came into the league with more attention and fanfare surrounding her than any other star in WNBA history.

Naturally, the players who have been toiling away in a largely unheralded league would find this annoying. After all, if you’ve been largely ignored at something you’ve worked at for several years, and then this hotshot rookie comes in with tons of press after not yet proving anything on the pro level, you’d probably be super motivated to compete your hardest whenever you played her.

That’s all well and good! If you want to talk trash about how you think Clark couldn’t score on your defense, or say she won't be able to hit threes consistently at this level, that’s all normal and expected.

But these WNBA players have taken their competitive spirits to an unhealthy, and downright hateful, extent. Here are a few examples.

No. 1 - A’ja Wilson Claims Caitlin Clark Is Only Popular Because She’s White

Wilson is one of the most accomplished female basketball players of all time. However, she hasn’t generated nearly as much attention in her career as Clark has, primarily because Wilson can’t shoot long-range three in a way Clark can.

However, Wilson thought the popularity disparity was due to skin color.

"I think it’s a huge thing. I think a lot of people may say it’s not about black and white, but to me, it is. It really is because you can be top notch at what you are as a black woman, but yet maybe that’s something that people don’t want to see," Wilson told The Associated Press back in May.

No. 2 - Chennedy Carter Body Checks Clark, Angel Reese Loves It

Reese and Clark have had a rivalry that extends back to their college days. But during a Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever matchup earlier this year, things went to a whole other level.

Clark trash-talked Carter after a possession, and Carter responded on the next trip up the floor by body-slamming her into the ground.

While that itself is an uncommon and unnecessary way to handle your frustration, the worst part is that Reese got up from her seat on the bench and loudly cheered that her teammate had gone the extra mile to abuse her rival.

No. 3 - Minnesota Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve Throws Shade At Clark

When the WNBA posted a graphic of a slate of preseason games being aired back in May, Reeve took exception to the fact that the Fever game was advertised but that the Lynx game was not.

She finished her tweet with petty hashtags and echoed a fan’s sentiment that the ANBA only cares about Clark (you could feel the jealousy oozing from her keyboard when she posted that reply).

All of these things cross the line of what we would call "competitive" trash talk. Attacking someone for their skin color, rejoicing over a player getting tackled to the ground, and complaining that your preseason game doesn’t have much draw compared to Clark is beyond ridiculous.

Bird thinks these things (and anything else directed at Clark) are a sign that the league loves her and is welcoming her with open arms. But for those of us with a moderate reserve of common sense, we know that’s not the case.