The WNBA has been thrust into the national spotlight over the past couple of months, largely due to the “Caitlin Clark effect.” However, not all attention has been positive. This past Saturday, Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter's flagrant foul on Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark, initially deemed a common foul, went viral, sparking widespread discourse about the physical treatment Clark is receiving from veterans in her rookie season.
Legendary UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma weighed in on the issue Tuesday after the UConn Coaches Road Show.
“Every rookie has to go through the growing pains of being a professional basketball player. And the more attention you get, and today's world attention is No. 1 and attention brings money; So is she facing the rookie challenge, the rookie hardships that are inherent with being a rookie? Yes. She’s also being targeted,” Auriemma said, as reported by Maggie Vanoni of CT Insider.
Auriemma, who has coached several WNBA legends like Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, understands the intense scrutiny high-profile players face. He acknowledged that star players often endure more physical play due to their prominence, something he has observed with current college star Paige Bueckers. However, Auriemma believes the targeting Clark is experiencing is unprecedented, attributing it to jealousy.
“I don't remember when (Michael) Jordan came into the league guys looking to go out and beat him up,” he said. “I don't remember when (Larry) Bird and Magic (Jonhson) came in the league and elevated the NBA, I don't remember them getting targeted and getting beat up just because of who they were and the attention they we're getting. And I've never heard one of them say, ‘Hey, why didn't you do this when we were playing?’ Because nobody felt like it. It wasn't the time.
“Appreciate the fact that now's the time. I get it. I get it. It's long overdue. Why are you blaming that kid? It's not her fault because you would trade places with her in a minute, but you are not there. You're not her. So, you're (complaining) that she's getting what she's getting?”
WNBA stars push back against targeting narrative
The Fever-Sky game was notable for being the first time Clark and former LSU star Angel Reese faced off in the WNBA. The game was closely contested, and tensions ran high, culminating in Carter shoulder-checking Clark to the floor. The foul was initially called a common foul but was upgraded to a flagrant-1 upon review the next day.
Rebecca Lobo, a retired WNBA star and current ESPN broadcaster, pushed back against the narrative that veteran players are jealous of Clark.
“It's a false narrative,” Lobo said.
She acknowledged that while Clark is facing unprecedented defensive pressure for a rookie, the physical play she encounters is typical for high-profile players entering the league.
“Are veterans being physical with her? They are. But I have not seen anything excessive or anything dirty until that Chennedy Carter hit,” Lobo said. “Chennedy gave a previously toothless argument some fangs.”
Chiney Ogwumike, another player and current analyst, echoed Lobo's sentiments. Ogwumike noted that the WNBA has always been intensely physical and filled with regular trash talk. She argued that the expectation for WNBA veterans to be deferential to Clark is an unrealistic double standard not applied to other professional sports.
“These women are elite basketball players who are competitors who show up every night before the eyes were there on the game. This is not hate. This is hoops,” Ogwumike said, stressing that all rookies, especially top picks, must prove themselves in the league.
Follow Us
Subscribe
