Caitlyn Clarkston knew it. If you don’t have a long ball, talking about the 26, 30 feet, if you ain’t doing the Steph Curry, if you ain’t got none of that long ball in your game, yeah, you gonna be behind. She’s doing stuff we never seen before. Never seen nobody do that on a consistent basis.

There’s a lot of girls in dumb that that done it in spurs. But you know that game I’m watching on the final four, I’m like, damn. Like, and I was a hater cuz you know I’m down. She was like, she not going to hit that shot and bam. Like, damn. Anyone following basketball knows that Caitlyn Clark is a supernova, completely changing how we view the women’s game.

NBA legends and icons who understand the game inside and out have been left in awe of her brilliance. The excitement surrounding the WNBA has reached new heights thanks to Caitlyn’s play and skyrocketing popularity. But here’s where it gets even more interesting. The greatest of them all, Michael Jordan, has finally broken his silence.

MJ’s comments about Caitlyn are a gamecher. His praise for her speaks volumes, and what he said is nothing short of extraordinary. NBA legend Rick Barry also stepped in and didn’t hold back. In a powerful statement, Barry made it clear that the constant hate Caitlyn has received from some WNBA players is driven by jealousy and fear of her undeniable talent.

His words hit hard, putting those critics directly in their place. It’s a statement that every Caitlyn Clark doubter needs to hear. It shows exactly why she deserves all the respect she’s earned. I think it’s reprehensible what they’re allowing some of these players. Anybody that does something flagrant to this young lady for what she’s brought to the game should be suspended and fined big time for doing that.

WNBA great George Jervin also stepped up to defend Caitlyn Clark and his words were just as impactful. Jervin didn’t shy away from calling out the disrespect and made it clear that Caitlyn’s talent is something to be celebrated, not torn down. His statement sent a strong message to everyone who doubts Caitlyn.

Her greatness is here to stay and even the legends recognize it. Get ready to hear Jervin’s powerful defense that reminded the basketball world what true respect looks like. They don’t know the value that she’s bringing for all of them. She bringing you They flying private planes now. They went f finding private before she came.

They on major networks now. They weren’t doing that. See, she remind me of Tiger Wood for golf. Sometimes the realist opinions come from players who don’t have a huge media presence. And that’s why Jeff Teague’s comments stood out. Teague, a former all-star and NBA champion, wasn’t always in the spotlight during his career. but now in retirement.

His speaking freely t criticized the WNBA for how it treated Caitlyn Clark upon her arrival despite her massive fan base and star power. And what he said caught fire for a reason. Like they played this all wrong, bro. They was supposed to gas this This why people don’t watch this when y’all leave college women’s sports cuz y’all hating on the best thing that’s going to happen to the W.

While Teague’s delivery might be raw, the core of his message is valid. For years, we’ve seen debates about the gender pay gap in sports and countless efforts to raise the WNBA’s visibility. Caitlyn Clark’s arrival finally started to move the needle. Yet, despite that, she received a rough welcome. Teague pointed out that such attitudes not only hurt the league financially, but also discouraged growth.

He made it clear Caitlyn deserves better treatment from both her peers and those managing the league. And speaking of negative treatment, Celtics legend Paul Pierce played a role in shaping early media hostility toward Caitlyn Clark. The 10-time all-star publicly doubted her abilities and even sparked controversy with comments that carried racial undertones.

Although Pierce has since tried to walk back some of his statements, his early skepticism left a mark and is only now reluctantly showing respect toward the Indiana Fever rookie, particularly after she was left off the US Olympic team. You claim you want the women’s game to grow and then you keep the most popular girl in women’s basketball off the team.

How do you grow internationally and domestically if you don’t put her on the US team? It just makes the most sense. Sometimes you have to say, “Hey guys, this is bigger than the game,” which it is. I mean, women’s basketball is at a alltime high because of Caitlyn. At first glance, Pierce’s recent comments sound respectful, but if you analyze the logic, it’s clear he still isn’t fully sold on Caitlyn’s basketball ability.

He argued that Clark should have been selected to the Olympic team for marketing reasons, not based on merit, but that’s a backhanded compliment at best. But keep in mind, Pierce has always been provocative in the media. His takes may be more about staying relevant than genuine analysis. Still, just when you thought the drama couldn’t get any bigger, Shaquille O’Neal entered the chat.

And he did it on Angel Reese’s podcast. In a jaw-dropping moment, Shaq praised Caitlyn Clark right in front of her most vocal critic. The message was clear. Even the big diesel thinks Caitlyn is extraordinary. And when someone like Shaq says that, you know it’s real. I was a hater cuz you know I’m down. She was like, “She not going to hit that shot.

” And bam, like damn, she not going to hit that shot, man. Like if I say 10 times you’re not going to hit the shot and you hit the shot, that means you’re the truth. So, I’m telling you now, if you just lower it, just lower it. Like, missing out on the Olympics may have felt like a personal setback for Caitlyn, but according to NBA legend Dwight Howard, it might have been a blessing in disguise.

Howard, a three-time defensive player of the year, suggested that the break could help Caitlyn reset, refine her game, and dominate the second half of the season. And he was right. Looking back now, his words seem almost prophetic. Caitlyn Clark has looked like a completely different player since the Olympic break.

Whether it was the sting of being left out or the opportunity to regroup, she found her rhythm that, let’s be honest, traveling to Paris just to ride the bench on a loaded team could have messed with her momentum or worse led to injury. Dwight Howard saw the upside where others saw only disrespect and he knew Clark had the drive to prove she belonged all along.

He is a great player, but it’s a lot of players that, no lie, who as far as basketball wise, they have the edge over her of why they should be playing in the Olympics right now. Mind you, this should motivate her. This should give her, this should make her go harder in the gym. The three weeks that they off, she should get in better.

Hall of Fame point guard Isaiah Thomas has always had a unique ability to see the full picture on and off the court. A two-time NBA champion, coach, and executive, Thomas recently weighed in on Caitlyn Clark, and his take was mostly positive with one clever twist, Thomas managed to compliment both sides of the debate while still pointing out the dirty business behind all the hate.

He made it clear the media had something to gain from stirring up controversy around Clark. And he’s not wrong, but credit to Isaiah, he didn’t feed the fire. He acknowledged the noise without becoming part of it. That’s a veteran move from a man who’s seen the game from every angle.

I think it’s great what she’s done and I think it’s great what the media and the WNBA and marketing and the players are doing because you know controversy is not good but you know controversy s Caitlyn Clark has quickly gained grassroots support in Indianapolis but she’s still miles away from being as beloved as some of the city’s basketball legends at the top of that list.

Reggie Miller, the sharpshooting icon, spent all 18 of his NBA seasons with the Pacers and knows what it means to earn love in Indiana. But instead of offering support, Reggie basically said every rookie has to face adversity. That sounds tough, but fair, right? The problem is Caitlyn isn’t just facing competition, she’s facing hostility, and the level of resistance she’s dealing with feels more like a push to break her down than a test of her skill.

What did you expect was going to happen to her? Number one, I don’t think it’s jealousy. Oh my god, she’s getting all the endorsements. We’re going to go after her. You’re playing at the highest level. You’re playing in the WNBA. You’re coming from college and you’re going to the pro ranks, right? What did she expect was going to happen? What? Why are people so shocked, right? You’re playing against grown women.

The same thing happened to us. Magic Johnson, a part owner of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, has been paying close attention. And when he spoke on Caitlyn Clark’s role in the league, he did so with his usual class. Magic drew a powerful parallel between today’s WNBA rookies and his own rivalry with Larry Bird, which helped revive the NBA in the 1980s.

He encouraged patience and teamwork, reminding everyone that young stars can’t shine without support that I end true magic fashion. He uplifted everyone without diving into the ugliness of the debate. Still, his high praise for Caitlyn speaks volumes, especially coming from someone who literally has a stake in the success of her competition.

Now, Caitlyn, her teammates got to come to her defense. Sure, you can’t allow her to have to fight every battle, right? But we have to understand that both Caitlyn Angel and Brink who plays for my Sparks, they made the WNBA better and they’re going to be tested by these incredible women who been in the league for a long time.

Caitlyn is the most popular WNBA player, but she’s not the best at this time. Just like Larry and I were not the best when we entered the league, we became the And the thing I love about her, she never says a word. And now when I watch her, two things I like. She’s playing much faster, much faster. She was playing too slow the first half of the season.

They didn’t even give her the the understanding like you girls been worth it for the WNBA season. Y’all been working out under no she came straight out of college. And finally, Charles Barkley, never won to sugarcoat. Barkley has spoken up multiple times about Caitlyn Clark’s WNBA journey. In one recent clip, Barkley broke down how fatigue may have slowed Caitlyn early in the season more than any defense ever could.

He pointed out that she’s moving faster now, creating more transition plays and lifting her teammates in the process. But Barkley didn’t stop there. He also addressed how other WNBA players have treated Clark. And he didn’t spare anyone from criticism. True to form, Chuck kept it blunt, sharp, and honest. And when someone like Barkley calls out the pettiness, people tend to