Charles Barkley and Caitlin Clark (Photos via @awfulannouncing Twitter and Elsa/Getty Images)

Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley called out the WNBA players who hate on Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the first overall pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Caitlin Clark left the NCAA as the highest-scoring Division I basketball player of all time. She led the Iowa Hawkeyes to consecutive national championship appearances, losing to LSU and South Carolina in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Clark was selected first overall by Indiana in last month’s WNBA Draft. Her arrival has brought plenty more coverage to the WNBA, which has enjoyed a giant surge in attendance and TV ratings in the early stages of the 2024 season.

Prior to Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks, Barkley defended Clark and accused her haters of being petty.”

“You women out there, ya’ll petty, man. Hey, LeBron, you’re a hundred percent right on these girls hating on Caitlin Clark. Ya’ll 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….Don’t be petty like dudes.”

Barkley’s defense of Clark came soon after Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James backed the superstar, stating that she’s “the reason why” there will be “great things” happening in the WNBA.

The Fever carry a record of 0-4 into Wednesday night’s clash with the Seattle Storm. But Caitlin Clark has certainly done her part, averaging a team-leading 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per contest through four games.

After their showdown in Seattle, the Fever will continue their road trip with a road showdown against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday. They’ll conclude the trek with a Saturday night contest against the Las Vegas Aces.

Caitlin Clark Has Learned To Block Out The Critics

Even the greatest of professional athletes have their fair share of haters and critics. LeBron will tell you all about it. Ask Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Aaron Judge, Cristiano Ronaldo and Novak Djokovic, among others.

Being the best means you’ll naturally attract plenty of haters due to pettiness and jealousy. Clark was excellent at ignoring the haters during her illustrious career at Iowa, so of course she’ll have no problem doing the same in the pros.