Caitlin Clark is a victim of ‘professional jealousy’ in her first season in the WNBA, according to Shaquille O’Neal.
Clark, who was selected by the Indiana Fever with the first overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, has had a challenging start to life in the big leagues following her historic collegiate career at Iowa.
As well as losing 10 of her first 13 games, the Fever rookie has been subjected to brutal on-court treatment from rival players, with Chicago Sky’s Chennedy Carter sparking outrage by subjecting her to body checks earlier this month.
The shocking moment has even sparked a debate about race and sexuality, with late-night talk show host Bill Maher recently claiming that her WNBA rivals are only attacking her because she’s white and straight.
Caitlin Clark is a victim of ‘professional jealousy’ in her first season in the WNBA, according to Shaquille O’Neal
And amid the controversy, O’Neal has weighed in on Clark and why opposing players are heading straight for her.
“So I think what people get upset about is that, as a player, you don’t want to be forgotten,” he said in ‘The Great Podcast with Shaq’.
‘You know what I call it, I call it stealing props. It’s professional jealousy.
“I just think people should focus more not only on her, because she is a great player, but don’t forget the beautiful Cardoso and my girl Ángel.”
Clark is turning more heads than ever to women’s basketball, and her record-breaking success in college made her the WNBA’s biggest draw upon her arrival.
The 22-year-old’s debut in Indiana broke ESPN’s ratings records last month, while the WNBA as a whole enjoyed its highest attendance of all time in May largely thanks to her impact on the sport.
Clark has been subjected to brutal treatment on the court in her WNBA debut.
O’Neal believes people like Kamilla Cardoso (left) and Angel Reese (right) should have the same level of coverage in the WNBA.
However, O’Neal is wary of Clark dominating the spotlight and noted the star quality of other players around the league.
“Let’s make something clear: one person can have all the accessories, but it’s never just one person,” he added.
‘Don’t say we’re getting new sponsorships thanks to Caitlin. No… what about Angel (Reese), what about (Kamilla) Cardoso? What about my favorite, Kelsey Plum?
