The King is a fan of Hawkeyes player Caitlin Clark. Her final NCAA game is against the South Carolina Gamecocks, who have a perfect 37-0 record. Even so, Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes have grown accustomed to being in the national spotlight, receiving praise and support from some of the best basketball players in history and today.
Among the top NBA players, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been a prominent supporter of women’s basketball, most notably speaking out during Iowa’s nail-biting victory over Connecticut in the Final 4. On Sunday, however, James returned to X to highlight Clark and harshly criticize her naysayers.
LeBron surrenders to Caitlin. Stay away, haters.
James made it obvious that he is a big Clark supporter, saying “if you don’t rock with Caitlin Clark’s game, you’re just a flat out hater” in a loud rebuke to experts and former players who have questioned the two-time Naismith Player of the Year’s accomplishments at Iowa.
Clark’s “NBA-style” game is characterized by exceptional passing and playmaking, but her three-point range — the ability to shoot apparently from anywhere — has been commended by James and Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry, the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers.
However, some current and past players, like as Lynette Woodard and Diana Taurasi, have not been as supportive, despite Clark’s transformation of Iowa and women’s basketball in general into must-see TV. Clark surpassed both men’s and women’s NCAA lifetime scoring records this season, and her Hawkeyes had never reached a national final before last year. They’ve now done it in consecutive seasons.
Diana Taurasi on Caitlin Clark coming to WNBA "Reality is coming….you look superhuman playing against some 18 years olds but you're going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time" pic.twitter.com/fxBxGoRZCS
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) April 6, 2024
Clark’s next stage is the WNBA, where the Indiana Fever will select her as the first overall pick in the 2024 draft on April 15. It’s unclear how much adjustment she’ll need to make to professional basketball, but one thing is certain: James and other basketball legends will be on her side.
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