Caitlin Clark could probably use a teammate or two to defend her, but she certainly doesn’t need Charles Barkley or an opportunist politician swooping in — at least not the way they all did this week.
Clark is not a fragile little girl in need of a man’s help. Men behaving like this can only make things harder for her — and for her opponents — and likely already have.
Clark, the first overall pick of the WNBA Draft, is enduring what so many high-profile rookies have endured through the history of sports: regular hazing from highly competitive, highly aggressive and in many cases highly resentful opponents.
Everybody hates the Golden Boy, or in Clark’s case, the Golden Girl. Opponents don’t like the notoriety, the money, the attention the prized young player receives. Teammates sometimes aren’t thrilled, either. After Magic Johnson signed a 25-year, $25 million contract early in his career, this is what legendary teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar told the Los Angeles Times: “He’s getting all that money, and all the publicity. What is he, player or management? We don’t know.”
It’s all part of the gig when you become the face of a sport. Sidney Crosby went through this. A month into Crosby’s rookie season, Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher knocked a couple of Crosby’s teeth out with a vicious cross check. No penalty was called. It was as if the refs were in on the hazing, too.
Yes, all of that. And Crosby endured. He fought back. He proved himself. My sense is that Clark will, too, but this is getting ridiculous. It’s one manly man after another swooping in to save what they view as a damsel in distress.
This was Barkley, who apparently objected to Clark’s opponents getting physical with her, up to and including a cheap shot from Chicago’s Chennedy Carter. And it was a cheap shot, but come on, this is pro sports.
Remember when Barkley was buddies with all-time NBA enforcer Rick Mahorn, who never met a cheap shot he didn’t take? Yeah, me too.
“You women out there, y’all petty, man,” Barkley said. “Y’all petty, girls. I expect men to be petty because we’re the most insecure group in the world. Y’all should be thanking that girl for getting y’all private charters, all the money and visibility she’s bringing to the WNBA. Don’t be petty like dudes.”
By petty, do we mean ridiculously competitive, even nasty? Why can’t women be that way on the court? Fact is, they are that way on the court. Does Barkley want them to give Clark a free pass?
Why can’t opponents be grateful for the newfound attention Clark brings and still run her through the gauntlet?
When Carter and her Chicago Sky team arrived at their hotel in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, they reportedly were confronted and harassed by a man with a camera. Carter’s teammate, Isabelle Harrison, tweeted the following: “WOW!!! Thank GOD for security. My teammate being harassed at our hotel is insane! Couldn’t even step off the bus!!!”
Which brings us to Indiana congressman Jim Banks, who actually sent a complaint letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Banks complained of the league refusing to “hold hostile players accountable” and called Carter’s hip check of Clark an “excessive attack.”
Pipe down, Jimmy. Caitlin Clark can take care of herself, if only men like you would let her.
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