Paige Spiranac Fires Back at Caitlin Clark Hate From WNBA Players

For those who missed it, before the Hawkeyes played the South Carolina Gamecocks in the women’s national championship, Clark received plenty of hot takes from former and current WNBA players.

New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart shared that for Clark to be in the conversation among the greatest players in women’s college basketball, she needs to win a title. The Hawkeyes sharpshooter took offense with the narrative since it basically dismisses what a player has done for the sport and instead focuses their legacy on just one 40-minute game.

Then there’s also Diana Taurasi who, instead of hyping up her fellow women and peers, sent a warning to Clark and the other upcoming WNBA players and told them that “reality is coming” for them.

“Reality is coming….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,” Taurasi said.

While Taurasi was only being realistic, it didn’t sit well with many fans since it looked like WNBA players are being jealous of the attention that Clark and the current college hoops stars are getting. Taurasi and Stewart could have been more supportive of their fellow players, especially since everyone is benefitting with the increased attention the women’s game is getting. But they didn’t, leading to plenty of criticisms.

There’s also Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard, who went viral for claiming that she doesn’t believe Clark broke her record for the most points in a major women’s college basketball tournament. Woodard has since clarified what she meant by her take, but not before it became the talk of the town.

What Did Paige Spiranac Say About the Caitlin Clark Criticisms?

After hearing all that has been said about Caitlin Clark, Paige Spiranac came to the defense of the Iowa Hawkeyes superstar. She expressed her disappointment with the hate that Clark has gotten, adding that women can really be “vicious.”

“The hate towards Caitlin Clark from current and former players is disappointing but not surprising. Women can be absolutely vicious to other women while also preaching empowering the next generation. I’ve seen it first hand but we must remember a rising tide lifts all boats,” Spiranac wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

To Spiranac’s point, the women’s game really need everyone to be united and supportive of each other in order to further elevate the game. Women’s hoops has already made huge strides in getting the attention and love it deserves, but unfortunately, some couldn’t just help but bring others down rather that uplifting them.

As Clark takes the next step in her career, hopes are high that she’ll get more support from her peers as they look to bring the WNBA to the next level.