Caitlin Clark has taken the WNBA, and the basketball world at large, by storm since being drafted No. 1 overall to the Indiana Fever out of Iowa. Not everyone is a fan of her, though -- in fact, a good number of current and former WNBA players are not fans of hers in the slightest. Auburn football legend Cam Newton doesn't dislike her, but he's certainly not showing any sympathy for being targeted on the floor with physicality by players like the Chicago Sky's Chennedy Carter.
"Why are we actin’ as if she’s America’s sweetheart in a league that, she’s in a league full of hyenas and lions, tigers and bears?" Newton asked (h/t OutKick). "Everybody is comin’ after you to try to dethrone you, and trying to get in your head —mentally, physically, emotionally. And this is just an example of that… Nobody is above getting checked or being disliked. So, Caitlin, welcome to the big leagues. Everybody ain’t gonna like you.
"Everybody not gon’ like the fact that you just are as young as you are and you’re the face of the WNBA. They’re not gonna like the fact that Nike just dropped a big boy bag on you. So, yeah… what did Steve Smith say? You gotta ice up, son."
Auburn football legend Cam Newton taking aim at Caitlin Clark misses the mark
Clark herself has not complained about much, including Kennedy's hard foul during an inbounds play during the June 1 Sky-Fever matchup. Newton should perhaps take aim at Clark's fans, who are as over-the-top defending her as her haters are in chastising her.
Everything about Clark's WNBA career has been under a level of scrutiny, whether it be why a record number of fans are interested in the product all of a sudden and her exclusion from the Team USA women's 5 x 5 team.
Newton, who's no stranger to headlines and controversy himself, is adding fuel to an already wild fire with these comments.