Caitlin Clark needs to 'toughen up, take those licks' according to Shaquille O'Neal
· Yahoo Sports
INDIANAPOLIS — NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal says the treatment Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has received from fellow WNBA players is "a rite of passage" that many greats have faced coming into their leagues or sport.
O'Neal says he watched Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Magic Johnson and boxer Muhammad Ali face backlash from competition early in their careers and says he experienced similar treatment during his playing days.
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“All the greats have to go through what we call rites of passage. She’s a fabulous player, but we’re not giving you anything, ever. You have to earn it,” O’Neal said during a CNBC Sport interview on the set of his show, “Dunkman" this week. “So for her, she needs to toughen up, take those licks, and show them that, ‘These licks don’t bother me.’
“Once she passes through that, the league will belong to her,” O’Neal added.
Since coming into the league, Clark has faced intense defense from opponents, including non-basketball fouls, being poked in the eye and, on June 24, Clark was the target of a fist to her throat by the Mercury's Alyssa Thomas.
No foul was called on the play at the time, but after the league received backlash, it reviewed the play and Thomas received a one-game suspension.
"She's become a bit of a political football in this country," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a July interview at the CNBC Game Plan Summit in New York City. "And, I think it's incredibly unfair to her."
Silver's comments about Clark followed a question by CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin surrounding reports that Silver had stepped in to urge WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to suspend Thomas for her incident with Clark.
Sports Business Journal, citing sources, reported July 15 that Silver asked Engelbert to suspend Thomas for placing her fist on Clark's throat during a battle for a loose ball. A WNBA spokesperson called the assertion "absolutely false."
On July 3, Clark talked about the foul, saying the “reffing needs to be better” and the “league’s just gotta do better protecting players.”
While it may be tough for Clark, O’Neal said she needs to try to put aside the noise surrounding her three seasons in the league and focus on basketball, proving herself to her competitors.
“There’s a lot of other girls with similar skills, who get no play, who get no mention, and there’s jealousy — professional jealousy,” O'Neal said.
A three-time All-Star, Clark became the fastest player to reach 1,000 points, 250 rebounds and 250 assists — achieving the feat in 54 games, breaking Diana Taurasi’s previous record of 62 games. On July 17, she scored a career-high 45 points and 10 assists against the Seattle Storm.
“Keep doing that, and the rites of passage will start to open up," O'Neal says, "and they will invite you in and give you the throne."
Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Hunsinger on X: @danahunsinger33. Reach her via email: [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Caitlin Clark needs to 'toughen up, take those licks' according to Shaquille O'Neal