Becky Hammon, A’ja Wilson set the record straight on Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever finally have something other than a zero in the win column. The WNBA rookie and women's hoops sensation secured Friday night's victory over the Los Angeles Sparks with a pair of clutch 3-pointers to deliver a dagger in the 78-73 win.

Getting over the hump after starting the season on a five-game losing streak is a big moment for Clark and the Fever, which there's no denying. Having said that, the No. 1 pick in this year's draft has been the subject of near-unprecedented criticism in the WNBA through the first six games of her rookie season for a number of reasons.

The criticism has led to a narrative around basketball that Clark is simply hated around the WNBA, whether that's due to jealousy of her fame, annoyance at the hype around the former Iowa star, or a number of other things. But if you ask some of the league's biggest names, namely Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson and head coach Becky Hammon, that narrative is completely false.

In fact, it's probably the total opposite.

Becky Hammon, A'ja Wilson defend Caitlin Clark amid criticism in WNBA

Hammon was asked about Clark and the perceived hate around the WNBA and she didn't mince words about how she and the Aces feel about the Fever's young star.

"We love Caitlin Clark," Hammon said. "There is no ha-- I think she's amazing. I watched every time I possibly could. And our league loves her. This has nothing to do -- we're just doing our job. We're going to show up, whoever is on the other team is on the other team. We don't really care, we're going to show up and do us. And so I think this narrative of, like, everybody hating on Caitlin Clark -- even the black and white thing -- knock it off. It's not there. It's not there. So shut down the noise."

Hammon then told everyone to back off when it comes to the hate and criticism being fueled around Clark before also noting that Clark is a 22-year-old rookie at the professional level. She and Wilson asserted that she (and no one) is perfect and that she's finding her way in a new league and level of competition.

Wilson added to that with more insight on the early-career development and pressure being put on Clark right now.

"She's learning and growing just like everyone else," Wilson said. "I feel like that's what-- people don't give her a chance. We tell our rookies every day, you're coming into a whole other world and starting over. So, the questions are only annoying because, like, she's young, she's a rookie and you're asking us these questions like she's a grown-ass woman in this league for years. No, she's doing her job, we're doing ours and at the end of the day, that's how we grow and when we get better is when we do things like that. I'm just exhausted over the conversation because I know she's exhausted over the conversation, I can only imagine."

Hammon also noted that Clark's help in getting the WNBA chartered flights is not something anyone in the league is upset about, saying the Aces coach didn't care if "Kermit the Frog" got it pushed through, because it's something she and others have been fighting and pushing for over the years. They're just glad to see it finally happen.

Because of Clark's celebrity, she is undoubtedly going to be an easy target for narratives to take shape. We say that in every walk of sports in this modern age. But if you want to know the truth about how her WNBA peers feel about it, Hammon and Wilson cleared that up pretty plainly. She's still Caitlin Clark the basketball phenom who is finding her way as a pro, and that's exactly who she should be.