Charles Barkley totally misses the point on Caitlin Clark discourse in WNBA

Caitlin Clark has brought more eyeballs to the WNBA than ever. She's helped draw attention to deficiencies in the treatment of WNBA players, like their salaries and travel conditions. She's been a huge positive for women in sports. And by and large, the other women in sports have recognized that, even as some have questioned the over-the-top narratives about her current stature as a player.

Yet there's another narrative that's clouded the conversation around Clark: That she has haters from within the WNBA. It's a narrative now being repeated in national conversations.

On Wednesday's edition of NBA on TNT, Charles Barkley joined LeBron James in calling out the "petty" women who have been "hating on Caitlin Clark."

I'm just trying to figure out where all those haters are...

Disagreeing with pundits doesn't mean hating Caitlin Clark

Arenas are packed wherever Clark goes. Her games are some of the most viewed in WNBA history. She has adoring fans even among the fanbases of teams she's playing against.

The closest thing to high-profile criticism she's received wasn't even about her specifically. Diana Taurasi pushed back on the idea that she'd step into the WNBA and be one of the best players in the league instantly. She said "reality is coming" and indeed reality came as Clark has struggled in her first week of WNBA action.

Taurasi wasn't hating on Clark. She was pointing out the reality of the transition between college and the pros, a natural reaction to the slew pundits who were ready to crown her prematurely. Sue Bird echoed that sentiment while reiterating Clark's importance to the sport can't be understated. Neither said a bad word about Clark herself. Both called pundits into question for disrespecting the immense talent already present in the WNBA.

If someone had told Barkley that Victor Wembanyama was already a Top 5 player in the NBA on Day 1 of his rookie season, Barkley would have fallen over laughing. It would be a ludicrous thing to say even for the most talented No. 1 draft pick in ages. It would be disrespectful to the pros who have spent years establishing their place among the league's elite.

But when WNBA players past and present push back on an equivalent argument being spouted by pundits all over the place, they're haters? They're petty?

It's good to see LeBron and Chuck stand up for Caitlin Clark but she doesn't actually need white knights.