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Caitlin Clark’s first season in the WNBA has been up and down so far. She has had games where she struggled not just with her shooting but also with her role as the Indiana Fever’s primary playmaker. On a handful of occasions, her veteran opponents have gotten the better of her on both ends of the floor.
However, it seems to be that Clark’s biggest challenges aren’t on the basketball court. There is a perceived animosity towards the former Iowa superstar that LeBron James even spoke out about. “King James” said he was “rooting” for her because he had been “in that seat before” and “walked that road before.”
Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, however, isn’t on the same page as the four-time NBA MVP and most fans. Here’s what she had to say about the supposed “hate” directed at the Indiana Fever rookie:
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“Let’s be very clear, we love Caitlin Clark…I think this narrative of everybody hating on her…knock it off it’s not there.”
She then added this about the charter flights that every WNBA team is using now:
“I don’t care if Kermit the Frog made the change. We’ve been fighting for this. We’ve been pushing. … I don’t really care who is bringing this or who is bringing that. What I care is they’re there and they see how great women’s basketball is.”
During the draft, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced that chartered flights would be used by teams in the regular season. Previously, the service was only available in the playoffs. Many assumed that the project started because of Caitlin Clark’s arrival when it had been planned for years already.
Clark may have been the fire that allowed those plans to finally materialize as the WNBA has its best publicity in history. Arenas are packed, and people tune in to watch games, particularly those involving the two-time John R. Wooden Award winner.
Recently, Clark’s former collegiate rival and fellow rookie Angel Reese took a not-so-subtle dig at her. After Reese’s Chicago Sky beat the New York Liberty she posted a tweet that she later deleted:
“And that’s on getting a WIN in a packed area not just cause of one player on our charter flight.”
Even non-basketball fans ripped Reese for this claim. Becky Hammon must not have seen this to laugh off the animosity Caitlin Clark has been dealing with.
Becky Hammon and the Aces will get their first look at Caitlin Clark this weekend
On Saturday, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will be in Las Vegas to take on the two-time defending champs. It will be the Aces’ first look at the highly-touted rookie in action. The game will also reunite Clark with her former longtime Hawkeyes teammate, Kate Martin, who is now a backup guard for Becky Hammon’s team.
Hammon has said that she doesn’t care who is lining up across from them as they will do their business. It will be interesting to see how the Aces will game plan against the NCAA’s all-time points leader. Fans will also be tuning in just to see the interaction between Las Vegas players and Clark.
