Charles Barkley Blasts WNBA Players for 'Petty Jealousness' Toward Caitlin Clark
Charles Barkley is back at it again. The NBA turned broadcasting legend spoke out about Caitlin Clark, after notably doing so toward the beginning of the WNBA season, and kept the same energy he had before.
Sir Charles joined The Bill Simmons Podcast and echoed much of the sentiment he had previously expressed on Inside the NBA. Charles unloaded on the Indiana Fever rookie's peers saying in part, "These ladies and I'm a WNBA fan. They cannot have f***ed this Caitlin Clark thing up any worse if they tried."
Barkley went on to say, "This girl is incredible...The number of attention, eyeballs she's brought to college and the pros. And for these women to have this petty jealousness. You say to yourself, damn what is going on here?"
He then added that he loves and respects the game of the women of the WNBA before doubling down on the accusations of petty jealousy. Charles was also complimentary of Caitlin for not saying anything and keeping it pushing.
"They cannot have f---ed this Caitlin Clark thing up any worse if they tried."
— The Ringer (@ringer) September 4, 2024
Charles Barkley sounds off against some of the WNBA media's negative narratives that have surrounded Caitlin Clark this season.@BillSimmons pic.twitter.com/GrWbY5xiB4
Chuck didn't cite specific instances so it was unclear if he was discussing Clark's rookie season as a whole, or recent topics of discussion like the flagrant fouls committed by the Chicago Sky, the shove from Skylar Diggins-Smith, or the saga with Sheryl Swoopes. Simmons broached the topic in regard to discourse around the league, so some of Barkley's ire could have been aimed at media members as well.
However, he did go on to talk about basketball. Barkley lauded Clark for playing with a faster pace and trusting her teammates. He also drew a comparison between Caitlin and Jason Kidd, citing Kidd's understanding of the game.
Charles stated that he thought the Olympic break was good for Clark, which is backed up by the numbers. And regardless of any of the negativity he spoke about, things have been looking up for CC and the Indiana Fever since.
The team recently clinched a playoff berth, meaning Clark's oft discussed rookie campaign will continue to be a topic of conversation in the postseason. With Barkley and almost everyone else sure to weigh in.
Robin Lundberg is a media veteran and hoops head who has spent the bulk of his career with iconic brands like Sports Illustrated and ESPN. His insights have also been featured on platforms such as Fox and CNN and he can currently be heard hosting shows for Sirius XM and on his burgeoning YouTube show. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak on SI!