Caitlin Clark's WNBA impact leaves legend 'grateful'

WNBA fable Lisa Leslie went to bat for Indiana Fever prima Caitlin Clark amid the sermon astir the fig of nationally televised games the squad received this season.

The Fever volition person 41 nationally televised games – a effect tied to the emergence of Clark during her rookie 2024 play erstwhile immoderate teams had to determination to bigger arenas to code the request to spot the sharpshooter.

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Indiana Fever defender Caitlin Clark against the Sun during the WNBA playoffs astatine Mohegan Sun Arena successful Uncasville, Connecticut, Sept. 22, 2024. (Mark Smith-Imagn Images)

Minnesota Lynx prima Napheesa Collier said earlier successful the week it was "crazy" the Fever person much nationalist TV clip than the defending champion New York Liberty. Leslie said she didn’t look to cognize what the large woody was.

"It’s each astir money, marketing, and we cannot contradict what Caitlin Clark has done for the women’s game," Leslie told USA Today successful a communicative published Thursday. "Why would we consciousness immoderate benignant of mode that she has much tv games?... I don’t cognize what the large woody is of the information that Caitlin is getting a batch of love. She deserves that and she’s helped alteration this game."

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Lisa Leslie spoke astir Caitlin Clark's impact. (Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Sparks large said she was "grateful" for Clark and however she was impacting the crippled and implored the remainder of the league to zoom retired and spot however the "big picture" volition interaction everyone.

"I deliberation we person to recognize that erstwhile 1 subordinate eats, we’re each eating, and we each get much opportunities. It conscionable opens it up for everyone else," she added. "I emotion that she’s not the subordinate that makes it each astir her. She’s fixed emotion and homage to the players that person travel earlier her. She shares the wealthiness with her teammates, and she doesn’t person to bash that."

Whether it’s affirmative oregon negative, Clark has been the focal constituent of the WNBA since she entered the league and that volition proceed arsenic agelong arsenic she’s connected the court.

Indiana Fever caput manager Christie Sides chats with Caitlin Clark during the Sky crippled connected June 23, 2024, astatine Wintrust Arena successful Chicago.  (Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Clark made the Fever the most-watched squad successful the WNBA by a landslide in her rookie year, arsenic the 14 most-watched WNBA games of the play each included the Fever.

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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