Caitlin Clark's naysayers face Shannon Sharpe's wrath over belittling Fever star before WNBA debut

When Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA, numerous critics claimed she'd struggle to transition to the pros. As she continues her impressive rookie campaign, one analyst decided to sound off on the naysayers.

During Sunday's episode of his "Nightcap" podcast, Shannon Sharpe praised Clark after another dominant outing. He called out her early critics and told them to keep the same energy as she continues to succeed in the pros.

"There's a lot of women on ESPN that had a lot to say early about this, they gone quiet now," Sharpe said. "Y'all quiet now."

"Y'all had a lot to say early, and if you think I'm talking to you, I am."

On Sunday night, the Indiana Fever faced off against the Dallas Wings. They left College Park Center with a seven-point victory, largely due to the play of Caitlin Clark.

In 37 minutes against the Wings, Clark posted a stat line of 28 points, four rebounds and 12 assists. It was an efficient night for the rookie phenom, who shot 52.6% from the field and 45.5% from beyond the arc.

With the end of the regular season in sight, Clark and the Fever continue to climb up the standings. They now sit in sixth place with a 17-16 record.

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Hall of Fame guard has extremely high praise for Caitlin Clark

Dating back to her historic college career at Iowa, Caitlin Clark has helped bring an abundance of new fans to the women's game. As she continues to be a big draw in the WNBA, one Hall of Famer had some extremely high praise for her.

During the broadcast of the Fever's game against the Wings, Nancy Lieberman shared her thoughts on Clark. She gave the rookie guard her flowers while comparing her to icons like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

"What Caitlin Clark has done for the game is generational," Liberman said. "As a baller to a baller I just want to say thank you to you Caitlin Clark for just lifting our game up."

"You're going to make all these women multi-millionaires one day. Like Tiger did, like Michael Jordan did."

Lieberman was a star in numerous women's leagues before the WNBA was founded in 1996. She ended up briefly playing in the WNBA during its inaugural season at the age of 39.

After her playing career, Lieberman quickly transitioned into coaching. She coached the Detroit Shock for three seasons from 1998 to 2000. In that span, she posted a record of 46-48.

With Clark continuing to fill arenas as a rookie, Lieberman isn't wrong about her impact on the game as a whole. As she continues to grow as a star, it should have a positive financial impact on the WNBA and all its players.