times Caitlin Clark hate from former and current WNBA stars may have gone too far

Leading up to her arrival in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark was the center of mass amounts of hype and excitement. While fans have given her a positive reception, it hasn’t been the same with fellow players.

Through the early stages of her career, Clark has received some pushback from current and former players in the league. Some have taken shots at her in interviews, and others have tried to humble her on the court.

As we pass the halfway point in the WNBA season, here are some instances where her hate may have crossed a line.

Times Caitlin Clark has received hate from WNBA stars:

1) Chennedy Carter mocks Clark’s game

Among the most notable instances of a player going after Caitlin Clark is Chennedy Carter. Earlier this season, she hit her with a hard foul when she wasn’t looking while yelling vulgarities at her.

After their incident, Carter took to social media to mock Clark’s game. She feels all the Indiana Fever guard does is shoot threes.

2) Diana Taurasi tries to lessen Clark’s hype

Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury was one of the first players to try to diminish the excitement around Caitlin Clark. While on ESPN, she explained how the No. 1 choice would not be dominant straight away. Taurasi defended the WNBA’s talent level, claiming that it is significantly higher than that of college.

“You see it on the NBA side, and you’re going to see it on this side,” Taurasi said. “You look superhuman playing against 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.”

3) DiJonai Carrington bashes Clark for interview comments

One player who has taken shots at Caitlin Clark on and off the court is DiJonai Carrington of the Connecticut Sun. Her biggest outburst came following the rookie guard’s comments in an interview.

Earlier this season, Clark was asked about her name being weaponized in racist narratives, and she admitted it was something she couldn’t control. Carrington did not like how she blew this off and took shots at her on X (formerly Twitter).

4) Angel Reese take shot at Clark then deletes post

The player who has been tied to Caitlin Clark the most is fellow rookie Angel Reese. Following their battles in college, the two have now seen their rivalry spill over into the WNBA.

Earlier this season, Reese took a shot at Clark amid the Fever’s early season struggles. In a now-deleted post on X, she emphasized how her team picked up a win before hers.

“And that’s on getting a WIN in a packed area not just cause of one player on our charter flight. #SKYTOWN,” Reese wrote.

5) Sheryl Swoopes wants Clark removed from the history books

During her run at Iowa, Clark broke the women’s all-time scoring record previously set by Kelsey Plum. However, one WNBA legend feels she shouldn’t be put in the history books.

When talking about the record, Sheryl Swoopes tried to discredit Clark’s efforts. She feels it isn’t the same because Clark got an extra year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“So she’s already had an extra year to break that record,” Swoopes said. “So, is it truly a broken record? I don’t know. I don’t think so. But yeah, that’ll go in the record books. And, I don’t think it should be.”

6) Breanna Stewart feels Clark isn’t a college basketball GOAT

Caitlin Clark’s run at Iowa was nothing short of spectacular, but one former WNBA MVP isn’t ready to call her an all-time great in college. Leading up to the 2024 draft, Breanna Stewart was asked about Clark. She feels she can’t be in the GOAT conversation because she was never able to deliver Iowa a championship.

7) Lynette Woodard doesn’t acknowledge Clark’s scoring record

Another Hall of Famer who discredits Clark’s scoring numbers in college is Lynette Woodard. While speaking at a conference, she openly stated that her record has never been broken.

Woodard played at Kansas during the late 1970s and early 1980s. During her college career, she scored a total of 3,649 points. This record stood until Clark surpassed her back in February.

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Edited by Kevin McCormick