Caitlin Clark and Dwyane Wade (Photos via Getty Images)
Caitlin Clark has been the center of attention since she entered the WNBA. Every detail about her has made the headlines, but her alternation with Chicago Sky players has caught everyone’s attention. The franchise’s minority shareholder and former NBA Star Dwyane Wade explained the matter.
Speaking on “The Why Podcast” about the struggles the Indiana Fever point guard faces, Wade said, “This Caitlin Clark conversation with everyone hazin’, I’m lookin’ at it like, I know what happened my rookie year when I came in.”
Recalling his rookie days, the Heat legend added, “You gonna hit that ground. You bout to feel this ground if you think you bout to keep comin’ in here. Jamaal Magloire and PJ Brown tapped me up every time I ran through the paint. … People say hazin’, but this is all a part of, ‘Hey, you gotta show us that you built for this league.’”
Dwyane Wade on How WNBA Players Are Treating Her Like NBA Players Treated Him His Rookie Year
https://t.co/G824QNPjvv pic.twitter.com/nHP9hpclVE— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) June 29, 2024
The struggles refer to the Fever’s first clash with Sky this season when Chicago’s Chennedy Carter made an unnecessary foul on Clark. It continued even in the second matchup, with Sky’s Angel Reese hitting Clark in the face when she attempted to score a basket.
The Clark-Reese alleged rivalry has been going on since their college days and still manages to attract the crowd in the pro league.
Caitlin Clark Drawing Numbers for WNBA
The WNBA noticed a huge rise in the viewership since Caitlin Clark started appearing for the Fever. There is no denying that she has a massive fan base that draws in to witness her skills.
While all her games recorded high viewerships, one game gained more fame. Clark’s third game against Reese comparatively attracted a larger crowd, eager to watch some actions from the immensely talented rookies. The tickets for the game at the Chicago arena were quickly sold out. However, the fans who tuned in for Clark were disappointed, as the Fever lost by 88-87.
The Indiana franchise has improved its game, and Clark has a big impact on that. The 22-year-old is expected to bring in the numbers on the scoreboard and viewership with her magical charm on the hardwood.
Luka Doncic Earns ESPY Award for Best NBA Player of the Year
Luka Doncic (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Many were disappointed to see Luka Doncic go empty-handed after an outstanding season. The 25-year-old did all he could on the hardwood to lead the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals after 13 years. Doncic’s credit was due, but it finally got settled as the star bagged a special trophy by beating his peers.
Doncic was announced as the ESPY Award winner for 2024 Best NBA Player. Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, who were ahead of him in the 2024 MVP race, couldn’t accumulate the massive number of fan votes that the Mavs guard did. However, he wasn’t present to collect the honor as he enjoyed his much-needed summer break.
Doncic averaged 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game in the regular season. No other NBA player came closer to his statistics in the last season. Even in the playoffs, he often set the court on fire with his phenomenal averages of 28.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.1 assists.
Despite putting in such efforts throughout the season, the MVP award slipped away from his hands. Nevertheless, the 5-time All-Star’s hard work paid off with his new accomplishment.
