NBA legends Rick Barry and George Gervin condemn physicality against Caitlin Clark: "Should be suspended and fined big time"

By Nandjee Ranjan

Modified Sep 13, 2024 18:10 GMT

Even the NBA legends are acknowledging Caitlin Clark's impact on the WNBA. After LeBron James and other NBA players recognized the Indiana Fever rookie's impact on the league's popularity and monetary gain, other legends like Rick Barry and George Gervin recently discussed the overall impact that Clark has on the league.

In an interview on Thursday with Joy D’Angela, NBA Personality, Barry and Gervin said that Caitlin Clark’s arrival has been beneficial for the league, and the WNBA should act to protect the rookie against hard fouls.

"I think it is reprehensible what they are allowing some of these players," Barry said. "Anybody that does something flagrant to this young lady for what she has brought to the game should be suspended and fined big time for doing that."

"When you look at it, they don't know that value that she is bringing for all all of them," Gervin said. "They flying private planes now. They wasn't flying private plane before she came. They on major networks now, they weren't doing that...they didn't have it before she got into the league...As good as the Aces is, they still couldn' t bring what she is bringing to the game."

Gervin also added that the players in the league should want more and more players like Clark in the future because it will help them get a higher paycheck.

Caitlin Clark has shown great promise in her rookie season. She has been outstanding throughout the season ranked top 10 in both scoring and assists per game. She is averaging 19.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game.

NBA legend Isiah Thomas heaps praise on Caitlin Clark

The WNBA regular season is coming to an end and fans and the media are evaluating Caitlin Clark's performance against the hype she received before the season started. According to NBA legend Isiah Thomas, "Clark is a more complete player than anybody ever thought."

According to the two-time NBA champion, most part of the hype around Clark was because of her ability to shoot. However, Thomas said that since coming into the league, the Fever rookie shows she has more offensive talent than previously thought. In an interview on Wednesday with Dan Dakich on his "Don't @ Me" podcast, Thomas said:

"She also has game. She got real game. You know, when she came out of college, everybody was talking about, ‘Oh, she is going to be a great scorer, and she is going to shoot the basketball and going to shoot the lights out.’ And then she unveiled ‘Oh I can drop dimes, too. Oh, I can pass, too.’ And what we are seeing now is you're seeing the complete offensive player come into play.”

While it is true that Clark has shown that she is one of the best guards in the league, her turnovers are still a concern for the Fever. However, according to Thomas, as Clark advances in her career, the turnover numbers will go down.

Caitlin Clark is leading the league in assists and points per game in her rookie season. While she has shown that she is prone to turning the ball over, she has plenty of time to develop ball control skills for future seasons.