After Caitlin Clark and the Fever’s season came to end, LeBron James shared an unfiltered take on why he respects the rookie so much.
“I have a great deal of respect for Caitlin Clark, because I know exactly what it means to be drafted, be the face of a franchise, and also get the scrutiny from a lot of people that don’t believe you’re ready for the next jump, don’t believe you’re ready for the big leagues, and just don’t think that you belong,” LeBron told Esquire. “And I remember that when I came into the league at eighteen years old how many people doubted me and hoped and prayed that I’d fail. And so, me watching Caitlin and seeing what she’s doing, I’ve been in support of her since day one, because I remember myself going through that, and she has my support 100 percent. She’s a transcendent player. And obviously we all saw that at Iowa, and I knew that it would translate to the big leagues. And she’s an unbelievable talent. It’s great to watch.”
It’s no wonder LeBron can relate to Clark’s situation so much.
The Cavs drafted him out of high school at No. 1 in 2003 and the team announced their intention to select the high school prodigy right after winning the draft lottery.
Similarly, when Clark was drafted by the Fever, she instantly became the face of the franchise and WNBA viewings skyrocketed.
However, Indiana’s 1-8 start on the season had people questioning whether she was the real deal or not.
But, the 22-year-old showed out in her first season and finished the year with unanimous Rookie of the Year honors.
She also made history multiple times throughout the season, including when she set new single-game (19) and single-season (337) assist records.
She scored 769 total points, which also created a new WNBA single-season rookie scoring record.
Her full list of achievements on the year is almost unbelievable.
In April, Diana Taurasi warned Caitlin Clark that “reality is coming” in her rookie WNBA season.
Since then, Clark has achieved:
🔸Unanimous ROTY
🔸League leader in APG
🔸League leader in 3P
🔸1st in PPG by a rookie
🔸1st in FGM by a rookie
🔸1st in APG by a rookie
🔸1st in… pic.twitter.com/xuI1FfI2kH— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) September 23, 2024
LeBron has defended Clark in the past and it doesn’t look like his public admiration for her will be slowing down anytime soon.
