Following her success in college ball, Caitlin Clark has been hugely criticised after her first few games in the WNBA and LeBron James has hit back at her haters.
Like Clark, LeBron was under an enormous amount of pressure to perform from an early age and he dished out some advice for the 22-year-old on the latest episode of his podcast Mind the Game.
“My advice to Caitlin, and my advice to anyone that comes in with this level of notoriety, out-of-this-world expectation, whatever the case may be, be a horse, man,” James said. “The Kentucky Derby. Put your blinders on, go to work, show up to work, punch your clock in, prepare yourself, work on your game, work on your craft.
“Kind of keep your mouth shut and just learn from the vets. When they ask, voice your opinion if they want your opinion early on because everybody is looking for you to say anything and they’re gonna splice it and cut it and make it a negative thing.
“The one thing I love that she’s bringing to her sport: More people want to watch. More people want to tune in. … Don’t get it twisted, don’t get it f**ked up. Caitlin Clark is the reason why a lot of great things is gonna happen for the WNBA. … I’m rooting for Caitlin because I’ve been in that seat before. I’ve walked that road before. I hope she kills.”
LeBron went on to link to criticism Clark from basketball world to the hate that his son Bronny James – who will likely participate in the NBA Draft next month.
“I’m getting the same thing from watching my son, who’s a 19-year-old, kind of getting a lot of animosity and hatred towards him when he’s just a kid trying to live out his dream,” LeBron said. “You know, there’s a very small number of men and women that actually get to live out their dream of playing the professional sport. And we have grown-ass men and women out here doing whatever they can to try to make sure that does not happen. That is the weirdest thing in the world, but it is what it is, and I’m glad that Caitlin has a great head on her shoulders.”
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