Is Charles Barkley’s criticism of WNBA media coverage of Caitlin Clark correct?

If we consider the effect that Caitlin Clark has had on women’s basketball both collegiately and professionally, it would be fair to say that it’s been monumental. From the phenomenal television ratings to the continued increase in interest from varying sporting celebrities, Clark’s introduction to the WNBA has been something to behold, but not everyone has been positive.

Charles Barkley has an issue with the WNBA’s Caitlin Clark narrative

There’s a lot happening in the world of television rights when it comes to the game of basketball. Indeed, we’ve seen the NBA bring an end to its lengthy contract with TNT in favor of one with ESPN and Amazon, while the WNBA continues to be bogged down in a battle for media control, one that has intensified exponentially since Caitlin Clark’s arrival in the league, an event that has brought with it immense attention. That is of course what brings us to the crux of the matter i.e., how has Clark been treated following her selection with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever?

To hear former NBA star and current TNT analyst Charles Barkley tell it, not satisfactorily, not in the least. Speaking during an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast on Wednesday, Barkley made it abundantly clear that he is not happy with the WNBA’s television personalities who he believes have intentionally spread negative narratives about the former Iowa State star. Before we get to what the Hall of Famer said, it’s worth noting that Barkley’s take is made all the more poignant by the fact that he has no role where the WNBA is concerned, meaning this is simply him calling out something that he doesn’t like. Regarding what he actually said, it doesn’t take long to get the gist of how he feels.

“These ladies - and I’m a WNBA fan - they cannot have f---ed this Caitlin Clark thing up any worse if they tried,” Barkley said. “People believe what we say on television. Just because people don’t like you or your personality, they can’t get on TV and slander you. It’s just total bulls---. ...This girl is incredible. The number of attention, eyeballs she’s brought to college, and the pros, and for these women to have this petty jealousness. You’re saying to yourself, ‘Damn, what is going on here?’ And the thing I love about her, she never says a word. But these ladies, who I love and respect their game, they couldn’t have f---ed this thing up any worse. There’s been so much negativity.”

Of course, context is key here and for starters, it should be said that while Barkley did not go as far as to name names, one can assume that he’s referring to the ongoing spat between two WNBA legends: Sheryl Swoopes and Nancy Lieberman. It was just a few days ago that Lieberman discussed her strained relationship with Swoopes which came as a result of comments by the latter back in February. At that time, Swoopes while speaking about Clark’s time with the Hawkeyes, incorrectly said Clark, who had just set the all-time Division I scoring record, only did so due to having an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic.

“I called [Swoopes] as a friend, and I said, ‘You can say whatever you want, you can have your own opinion about anybody, but you do have to get the statistics right,’” Lieberman said. “Our relationship pretty much is not happening at this point...My life is going to be good or great with or without Sheryl Swoopes.” To be clear, Swoopes has since shared screenshots of a conversation she had with Clark in which Swoopes admitted she “made a mistake” before congratulating Clark for her accomplishments. With that, the jury remains out, however, it may be that Charles Barkley has a point. The Fever and their rookie sensation take on the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night and will do so knowing that they’ve clinched their first playoff berth since 2016 and with just seven games remaining in the season to boot.