Caitlin Clark has an ally in LeBron James, who has an opportunity to redefine the way young stars are treated

Despite being a rookie, Caitlin Clark’s historic college career has turned her into a media darling. As the heir apparent to the WNBA throne, Clark has been given more praise and grace by sports pundits than some of her colleagues.

This has trickled up to her off-court transactions and endorsements, which have boomed to levels many thought would be impossible for a WNBA athlete. In fact, Clark recently inked a multi-year deal with Wilson Sporting Goods that will result in her being the first woman to have a signature line of basketballs. Wilson hasn’t done a deal of this magnitude since partnering with Michael Jordan.

But like the ebb and flow runs that characterize a basketball game, all good things in life must be met with an equally as strong counterpunch. That’s just how the universe works. It’s inertia. So, it’s only logical Clark has run into her fair share of detractors as she carries a heavy burden (15.4 points on 37% shooting, including 32% from 3-point range) for a 1-6 Fever team that plays again Tuesday night.

In the sports world, it’s within bounds to criticize a player’s game. Poking holes in even a good performance keeps the content tap turned on. 

That being said: If the majority of Clark’s critics were focused the lapses in her game — such as her turnover woes — to question whether she’s having a premature coronation, then these opinions would be embraced with open arms as part of that karmic cycle of basketball. However, rarely have these loud opposing opinions been rooted in Clark’s game. 

The WNBA tipped-off its season on May 14. In less than 30 days into her career, the criticism surrounding Caitlin Clark has ranged from juvenile jabs about her appearance to political shots claiming she’s solely benefiting from her societal privileges.

And although WNBA players didn’t start these topics, the latter take on Clark has unfairly forced Black superstars to defend their accomplishments while being wrongfully pegged, by some, as her adversaries.

The groans of these narratives have grown so loud they’ve…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/caitlin-clark-has-an-ally-in-lebron-james-who-has-an-opportunity-to-redefine-the-way-young-stars-are-treated/

Author : Xavier Handy-Hamilton

Publish date : 2024-05-28 18:31:48

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