Kevin Garnett Stresses Need for Fever to Protect Caitlin Clark Amid Physical Play

Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark getting shoved to the ground by Connecticut Sun veteran Marina Mabrey during their June 17 game has sparked a ton of discourse among the women's basketball community about Clark's continued physical treatment by her peers.

Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this story was how Sophie Cunningham came to Clark's defense one quarter later by getting her lick back on Jacy Sheldon (whose eye poke on Clark prompted the scuffle that ended in Mabrey's shove), which led to Cunningham and Sheldon getting ejected.

Many have given their opinions on what Cunningham did. And NBA icon Kevin Garnett added his own during a recent episode of the All The Smoke podcast.

"I thought it was always big to not only support teammates, but to show [it]. And then for that to be your best player, you've got to protect your best player," Garnett said of the Clark incident. "When you got a girl like Caitlin on your team... You have some hitters on that team that will go hard for the main player.

"I think the physical element, it's just part of the game, man. And I don't know why we keep trying to discount it," Garnett continued. "Basketball is a physical sport, and that physicality actually comes into play, into how you play... that continuity, you've got to have that, and you've got to be together. Because teams see when you don't go to help a guy up."

Garnett concluded with, "It's a privilege to be in a position where others are hating on you. And when others are hating on you, that means you're doing something right."