A prominent storyline in this first month of WNBA basketball has been the league’s bullying of first-overall pick Caitlin Clark.
It is so much so that notorious NBA bullies are calling out the ‘petty’ behavior aimed at the WNBA phenom and pushing Clark’s teammates to step up their support.
READ: Chennedy Carter Posts That Caitlin Clark Brings Nothing To WNBA (Attendance, Ratings Must Not Count)
One former NBA enforcer — not named Draymond Green, who also voiced his support for Caitlin Clark — is calling out Clark’s teammates for not defending her during a physical Saturday afternoon loss to the Chicago Sky.
Indiana Fever teammates stood by as Sky player Chennedy Carter ‘hip-checked’ Clark during the game, while Sky teammate Angel Reese celebrated Carter’s cheap shot.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – JUNE 2: Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark (number 22) watches the Indiana Fever play against the New York Liberty during the 2024 Commissioner's Cup match on June 2, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JUNE 1: Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter (7) is whistled for a flagrant foul for taking Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) to the ground at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 1, 2024. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Barnes acknowledged Clark's unusual intensity and said it was puzzling that his teammates couldn't protect their star player.
“She's been getting beat up all season,” Barnes said in a video posted to Instagram. “Hard screens, elbows, knockdowns. It's inevitable. She's not the first and she won't be the last. My problem, my question is, 'Where the hell are her teammates? Where are you guys? Where is the rest of the Indiana Fever?'”
Clark's impact on the WNBA has been invigorating for the WNBA faithful as the league's first true star player.
“I saw some girls smirking when she got taken down,” Barnes added. “You're being nasty and lifting her up. Guys, you have to protect your assets. Protect your stars. This is a team, but she's the star. You have to protect your stars all the time.”
Former NBA player Matt Barnes called on Clark's teammates to step up and show support (Photo by Tara Ziemba/Getty Images)
Draymond Green echoed Barnes' advice, urging the Indiana Fever to sign a strong player whose sole purpose is to protect Clark on the team and retaliate if necessary.
(That's how bad the situation is.)
On and off the court, Clark has often been the target of fellow players and coaches who are (to put it bluntly) jealous of the attention he garners around the league and who have come up with ways to make CC less appealing.
Chennedy Carter shoved Clark during the game and refused to answer questions about the Indiana Fever star.
WNBA players' negative reactions to Clarke have challenged the league's belief in her stardom, and while leagues like the NBA nurture talent, the WNBA seems to cannibalize it.
The attacks against Caitlin Clark will continue until Clarke's teammates step up to defend her.
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