Caitlin Clark Continues To Take The High Road With Older WNBA Players

09/05/2024 00:27

No one would blame Caitlin Clark if she appeared a bit cocky or full of herself right now.

Clark, arguably the best player in women's college basketball history, is coming off a hell of a year. She led Iowa to back-to-back national title game appearances. She went No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She's responsible for television rating records and massive interest heading into her rookie season.

Then, on Tuesday, the WNBA - likely due in large part to Clark's presence and impact on the league - announced that it would be chartering flights for all teams this year. It's a $25 million investment - not chump change for a league that has struggled financially.

But while Clark has been shaded by some longtime WNBA veterans, she continues to take the high road. When asked about the WNBA's charter flights investment, she praised those who came before her.

"I'm happy for the players that have been in this league a really long time and have really deserved this for years and years and years."

Caitlin Clark on charter flights coming to the @wnba 🔜

"I'm happy for the players that have been in this league a really long time and have really deserved this for years and years and years."

More coverage https://t.co/hpnoYvYglipic.twitter.com/TO8bINjqMk

— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) May 8, 2024

Clark didn't have to say that, especially when some longtime WNBA stars have shaded her with statements like this from Diana Taurasi:

"Look, SVP, reality is coming. There's levels to this thing. That's just life. We all went through it. You see it on the NBA side, and you're going to see it on this side. You look superhuman playing against some 18 years olds but you're going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.

Not saying that it's not going to translate because when you're great at you do you're just going to get better, but there is going to be a transition period when you have to give some grace as a rookie. It make take a little bit longer for some people," Taurasi told Scott Van Pelt on ESPN.

And this from Breanna Stewart:

"You are going to look 10 years back and you are going to see all the records that she has broken, points and stuff like that, but anybody knows your goal when you play college basketball is to win a national championship," Stewart said. "So you need one."

So, no one should blame Clark for taking major credit here. But in incredibly classy form, she refused to do so.

The WNBA clearly has a great one on its hands.