When discussing Indiana Fever players Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, and the WNBA, Charles Barkley didn’t hold back.
“Those girls do not like Caitlin Clark or Sophie Cunningham,” Barkley remarked, referring to the opinions of other WNBA players regarding two of the most well-liked players in the league. However, Barkley did not believe that race was the only factor.
Barkley continued, “Without regard for race, they just don’t like them.”
Barkley said those things on “The Michael Smerconish Program” as the two talked about the WNBA’s “awful year.” DiJonai Carrington’s Flagrant 2 foul on Cunningham during the Fever vs. Chicago Sky game on August 8 was one among the events the two discussed.
Cunningham was trying to make a fast-break layup when Carrington struck him viciously in the head. After the contact, Cunningham’s mouth was covered in blood. After reviewing the action, the referees increased the call from a Flagrant 1 to a Flagrant 2 and dismissed Carrington.
Carrington referenced the Fever in a social media post titled “WHITE PRIVILEGE” shortly after she was ejected. She later clarified that she never asserted that white privilege was the cause of the Flagrant 2, but she did not provide an explanation for the post.
Cunningham described the foul as “unnecessary,” claimed to have “no beef” with Carrington, and later described it as deliberate, accusing Carrington of trying to get attention.
According to Smerconish, he sought information on whether harsh fouls between Black and White WNBA players happen more frequently than they ought to. He claimed to have discovered a peer-reviewed study indicating that they occur at the expected rate, which prompted him to contend that the media is responsible for turning those occurrences into racial problems.
“No, no, you’re wrong, though,” Barkley commented. “The reason they made it black and white [was] when that girl tweeted ‘white privilege.’ That was stupid on her part.”
Barkley referred to it as “a dirty play. Period.” He said that it became a racial dispute because of Carrington’s post.
“When you turn stuff to the internet, all the race hustlers start coming out. We have a ton of race hustlers out there, White and Black. Let me repeat that. White and Black,” Barkley added.
Smerconish then mentioned Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, whose rivalry had clear racial overtones but contributed to the NBA’s rise to national prominence. Barkley acknowledged the presence of those undertones. The distinction, he claimed, was that Johnson and Bird respected one another.
“There was always respect,” Barkley stated, then emphasized his point by repeating himself. “There was always respect.”
Neither Carrington nor any other WNBA player was accused of racism by Barkley. He did, however, provide his own explanation for the animosity toward Cunningham and Clark.
“I’m not gonna get on here and call somebody a racist because I don’t have any proof,” Barkley stated. “Whether it’s race, sexuality, or whatever, there’s something going on there.”
He noted that although Clark and Cunningham are just good athletes, he thinks there are a number of reasons why people feel resentful of them.
“She’s just a really good basketball player. Same thing with Sophie. She’s a good player,” Barkley remarked. “I think it has something to do with sexuality, race, and jealousy. I think it’s all three of them. I don’t know how you break up the percentages.”
Barkley stated that he thinks the WNBA has a lot going for it, which is why he is bothered by the league’s negative publicity. The WNBA has youthful talents who need to be spearheading the discourse, the league is growing, and players are earning more money under a new CBA.
Rather, Barkley claimed that the WNBA is constantly embroiled in debates, social media posts, and hard fouls that have nothing to do with basketball.
Using the adage that “bad publicity doesn’t exist,” Smerconish suggested the WNBA might profit from the attention. Barkley disagreed.
“I don’t think it works like that anymore, Michael,” Barkley believed. “When’s the last time you heard something positive about the WNBA? I can’t even remember.”