WNBA star shows support for Caitlin Clark after race comments; coach says to 'back off' notion she is hated

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A debate grew earlier this week when basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley claimed that other WNBA players were "petty" about Caitlin Clark's stardom.

Angel Reese seemed to take a subtle shot at Clark in a since-deleted social media post, while A'ja Wilson said race was a "huge thing" in her popularity.

Clark said she doesn't pay attention to such notions, but reigning champion head coach Becky Hammon, of Wilson's Las Vegas Aces, said any such narratives need to stop.

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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) heads down court after a 3-point basket in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena.  (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)

"We love Caitlin Clark. I think she’s amazing. I watch every time I possibly could. Our league loves her. We’re just doing our job. We’re gonna show up. Whoever’s on the other team is on the other team. We don't really care - we're gonna show up and do us," Hammon said.

"I think this narrative of everybody hating on Caitlin Clark - and even the black and white thing - knock it off. It's not there. It's not there. So shut down the noise, and black and white, what is she, 22? She's a 22-year-old woman with a lot of pressure, she's not perfect, she's a rookie in this league. Back off."

The race comment is somewhat ironic and damning, as her star player in Wilson stood right beside the coach during the schpeel, just two weeks after saying that "it is" about "Black and White."

"It really is because you can be top-notch at what you are as a Black woman, but yet maybe that’s something that people don’t want to see," Wilson said at the