Charles Barkley rips WNBA veterans on a rant for Caitlin Clark: ‘Yo, girls, stop being petty!’

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives past New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (44) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)AP

Not that Caitlin Clark needs it, but she has two of basketball’s strongest voices defending her as the Indiana Fever start the season winless in four games and veteran WNBA players complain that Clark has been hailed as a hero of women’s basketball while they’ve been toiling for years to build the league.

Some have said that Clark is having money thrown at her because she’s white.

THIS 4-time NBA champion just gave a positive assessment about Bronny James, but will it be enough?THIS 4-time NBA champion just gave a positive assessment about Bronny James, but will it be enough?

On his podcast “Mind the Game” with J.J. Redick, Lakers superstar LeBron James swatted away the criticism of Clark, the league’s No. 1 pick, and pointed to the visibility and money she will bring to the league.

“The one thing that I love that she’s bringing to her sport: more people want to watch. More people want to tune in. I saw, for the first time, they had a chartered plane. For the first time in their league history, they flew private. That should be celebrated in its own right,” he said.

“That should be celebrated, and it’s because of Caitlin Clark. Don’t get it twisted. Don’t get it [bleeped] up. Caitlin Clark is the reason why a lot of great things are going to happen for the WNBA.”

On Wednesday night, former NBA star and current analyst Charles Barkley took James’ side in a rant before a playoff game between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

“You women out there: Y’all petty, man. LeBron, man, you’re 100% right on all these girls hating on Caitlin Clark. Y’all petty, girls. I expect men to be petty because we’re the most insecure group in the world.

“Y’all should be thanking that girl for getting y’all ass private charters and all the money and visibility she bringing to the WNBA. Don’t be petty like dudes. Listen, what she’s accomplished, give her her flowers. Stop being petty, all you women out there.

“She got all your ass these charters. She’s bringing all this money to the table, but you all being petty like dudes. LeBron, you 100% right. Yo, girls, stop being petty.

“Caitlin Clark, thank you for bringing all that money and shine to the WNBA.”

Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is defending Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark.

Ahead of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, Barkley called out the “petty” critics of Clark among the WNBA.

“You woman out there, y’all petty, man… Y’all should be thanking (Caitlin Clark) for getting y’all (expletive) private charters,” Barkley said during TNT’s “Inside the NBA” broadcast, highlighting “all the money and visibility she’s bringing to the WNBA.”

It’s not clear who Barkley is referencing, but the broadcaster did mention comments from Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, who denounced the “animosity and hatred” directed toward Clark and his son Bronny James during an appearance on his “Mind the Game” podcast on Wednesday.

“Don’t get it twisted, don’t get it (expletive) up. Caitlin Clark is the reason a lot of great things are going to happen for the WNBA,” James said. “There’s a very small number of men and women that actually get to live out their dream of playing the professional sport. And we have grown (expletive) men and women out here doing whatever they can to try to make sure that does not happen. That’s the weirdest thing in the world.”

Later Wednesday, Barkley said James is “100% right on these girls hating on Caitlin Clark.” He added, “What she’s accomplished, give her her flowers… Caitlin Clark, thank you for bring all that money and shine to the WNBA.”

Clark, the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, was drafted out of Iowa by the Indiana Fever with the No. 1 overall pick in April and the popularity surrounding Clark has trickled down to the entire WNBA. Clark’s regular-season debut, for example, drew an average audience of 2.13 million viewers to become the most watched WNBA game in almost 23 years.