Caitlin Clark seemingly is under the microscope 24/7.
With her Indiana Fever entering play Friday night at 0-5 and WNBA crowds swelling for games involving the much-hyped rookie, some have wondered if there is any resentment toward the Iowa product around the league.
On the eve of a Saturday showdown against the Fever, Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon told reporters any criticism of Clark is just plain wrong.
"We love Caitlin Clark. I think she's amazing," said Hammon, per video from Alex Eschelman of KTNV in Las Vegas.
"I watch every time i possibly (can). We're just doing our job. We're going to show up, whoever's on the other team is on the other team. We don't really care. We're going to show up and do us. I think this narrative of everybody hating on Caitlin Clark and even the Black and white thing, knock it off. It's not there, it's not there. So shut down the noise."
Clark, 22, came into Friday's play averaging 17.8 points on 40.3-per-cent shooting from the field.
In her final season at Iowa, she averaged 31.6 points on 45.6-per-cent shooting while leading the Hawkeyes to the national final.
But, of course, the WNBA is a way higher level — only the elite players in the NCAA get a sniff of a roster. And the first-overall pick in this year's draft had no more than a few weeks off before trying to help a lower-ranked WNBA team try to make strides.
"And by the way, what is she 22? She's a 22-year-old woman with a lot of pressure," said Hammon, whose Aces have won the past two WNBA titles. "She's not perfect. She's a rookie in this league. Back off."
Aces star A'ja Wilson agreed with her coach.
"(Clark) is learning and growing just like everyone else," Wilson said. "People don't give her a chance. we tell our rookies every single day ... 'you're coming into a new world and starting over.' The questions are only annoying because she's young, she's a rookie. You all keep asking these questions as if she's a grown-ass woman that's been in this league for years."
Watch the Fever-Aces game on Saturday on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet+ at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
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