"No way" - Breanna Stewart shuts down rumors of WNBA players hating Caitlin Clark, citing her impact on WNBA revenue

Reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart made it clear that there's no hate for rookie sensation Caitlin Clark whatsoever on Thursday on "The Pat McAfee Show." Although the start to the career of the ballyhooed No. 1 pick in April's draft hasn't been as smooth as she might have imagined, Stewart said a growing narrative isn't true.

Given how some opponents have guarded Clark, being extra rough with her, and the possibly negative comments that Angel Reese made, the idea that Clark was getting hated on by her colleagues started brewing.

"Oh, my gosh, no way!" Breanna Stewart said when asked if WNBA players hated Caitlin Clark. "I'm happy for her to be in this league, obviously. I'm happy that she's brought a whole bunch of new eyes along with Angel Reese, and continuing to bring those fans.

"I mean, to be at the Fever game and for the game to be sold out like that, I'm not sure every single one after that has been sold out but I know it's been close. She's gonna turn into a really, really great pro, but also, people need to give her a little time to be up and down and figure it out and also realize that it's an adjustment when you go from college to pro at any level.

"But I've seen her last game she scored 30 points and she's starting to get more comfortable."

The attention that Clark and other rookies are bringing to the WNBA can be incredibly beneficial, but it seems like everybody is still adjusting to her presence in the league. Meanwhile, Breanna Stewart is trying to build on this renewed interest in women's basketball and is readying an exciting new project for 2025.

Breanna Stewart is launching a 3x3 women's league

Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, a strong candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year award this season, are teaming up to launch a 3x3 league set to start in January. NBA insider Shams Charania shared a couple of details about the league, revealing that players could get a salary of about $240,000.

“This league will run opposite of the WNBA season. ... The average salary in the WNBA is $120,000. . … I'm told the salary in this ‘Unrivaled’ league is going to be about double that," the senior insider said.

Considering that many WNBA players look for overseas options to get more playing time and money, this could be a great alternative for some of them.