Sue Bird reveals true feelings on Caitlin Clark WNBA hate narrative

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In just her first WNBA season, Caitlin Clark has already become arguably the most recognized player the league has ever seen. With such a spotlight comes both positives and negatives, including the narrative that WNBA players have animosity toward Clark. However, Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird offers a different perspective on this sentiment.

Bird addressed the narrative about veterans supposedly targeting Caitlin Clark and expressed her perspective on the matter. The four-time WNBA champion pointed out that social media trolls often amplify comments made by other legends like Diana Taurasi, contributing to the controversy surrounding Clark.

“Obviously, I’m assuming Diana (Taurasi) saying that ‘rookies are going to need to adjust.’ Somehow, that got twisted and turned around and now has taken on a life of its own. And there’s this narrative that WNBA players are hating on Caitlin or don’t like her. That’s not the case. So I think things have gotten really twisted up,” Bird said in her recent appearance in FanDuel TV.

Bird played with the Storm from 2002 to 2022, leading the team to four WNBA titles and earning 14 All-Star selections during her illustrious career.

The Caitlin Clark hate narrative

The narrative of hate stems from incidents where some players have treated Clark poorly. A notable example occurred when Chennedy Carter elbow-checked Clark to the floor in a non-basketball play during the Indiana Fever’s first encounter with the Chicago Sky this season.

Another instance when Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi commented that Caitlin Clark would need time to adjust to the WNBA, stating, “Reality is coming.” Taurasi faced significant backlash for these remarks, with fans labeling her as a “hater.”

Taurasi caused a stir before the Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury game last week, showing little interest in providing a detailed answer about her first matchup with Caitlin Clark. However, after the game, Taurasi’s tone changed as she gave the rookie her flowers.

Clark leads all rookies in scoring (16.2 ppg) and assists (6.9 apg). The collegiate standout from Iowa and the No. 1 overall pick by the Indiana Fever in April, has made an immediate impact in her WNBA debut. The guard’s logo 3-pointers and sophisticated playmaking have attracted a wave of new fans, packing arenas across the US to record attendance numbers.

Caitlin Clark: All-Star

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots a free throw against the Phoenix Mercury during the fourth quarter at Footprint Center. Michael Chow-Arizona Republic
Caitlin Clark earned her first selection to the WNBA All-Star team this past week, becoming one of only two rookies to make the roster this season, alongside Sky forward Angel Reese.

The rookie Fever guard led the voting with an impressive 700,735 fan votes, while her teammate Aliyah Boston followed in second place with 618,680 votes. Reese secured fifth place with 381,518 votes. Ahead of Reese were A’ja Wilson in third with 607,300 votes and Breanna Stewart in fourth with 424,135 votes.

The 2024 WNBA All-Star Game selection process combined fan votes (50%), votes from current WNBA players (25%), and input from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters (25%). The top 10 vote-getters not already on the USA Basketball Women’s National Team 5-on-5 roster were automatically assigned to Team WNBA.

The WNBA All-Star events will double as a farewell for players chosen to join Team USA in Paris. Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury will lead the Olympic team against the All-Star lineup in their home arena.

Taurasi, a future Hall-of-Famer, is on the quest for an unprecedented sixth Olympic gold medal, while Griner, who netted 30 points in Team USA’s 2020 gold medal game against Japan, is aiming for her fourth.