Are Caitlin Clark’s teammates doing enough to protect her?

As soon as Caitlin Clark stepped out onto a professional basketball court for the first time, everybody and their uncle knew she was going to get attention. Some of this attention has been good. For example, game attendance and TV ratings are way up thanks to her. But, with the good comes the bad, and Clark now seems to be playing with a target on her back.

Since the start of the season, Clark has had little breathing room when the ball is in her hands, and even when it isn’t. Whether coaches are telling their players to be all over her like a cheap suit or they just don’t want to be shown up by this generational talent, Clark is getting smothered and beaten up. She’s also getting into the heads of her opponents, as Aari McDonald of the Los Angeles Sparks proved when she went to guard Clark, forgetting about her second free throw.

Things came to a head with Clark’s welcome to the WNBA when Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter sent Clark to the floor while the ball wasn’t even in play. It comes as little surprise that perhaps the most highly touted basketball player since LeBron James is getting pushed around, but many are questioning why her teammates aren’t coming to her aid.

In an Instagram post, former NBA player Matt Barnes admonished the other members of the Indiana Fever for not having Clark’s back. “Y’all supposed to protect the asset,” he said. “Protect the star. And although this is a team, she’s the star. You always protect your star.”

Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman also wondered where Clark’s teammates are. “I’d be p—— as s— at my teammates that nobody came to my defense,” she said. “You know? Gretzky had an enforcer. Michael Jordan had Oakley. I mean that’s, honestly, it’s just bulls—. This has to be better. Indiana has to be better.”

So, if she were in Clark’s shoes, what would she do? Lieberman said that after the hard foul by Carter, “I would’ve punched her in the face, but I’m from New York and I would have told her to f— off and that would actually cure the problem.”

The WNBA almost certainly doesn’t want its meal ticket punching anybody in the face. But, if Clark continues to take shots – particularly cheap ones – and her teammates aren’t willing or able to stand up for her, she may have to take matters into her own hands.