Clark's success means 'everybody rises' in WNBA, says USWNT legend (2024)

Caitlin Clark's success in women's basketball means that 'everybody rises' in the WNBA, said US women's national team legend Heather O'Reilly - though the three-time gold medalist admitted that envy and jealousy are 'human emotions' for others to have.

While Clark has brought significant attention to the WNBA and even influenced the league's decision to adopt charter flights, she was given a rude welcome to pro life last week when the Chicago Sky's Chennedy Carter aggressively bodychecked her.

Regardless of how Clark's league-mates may feel about her, though, O'Reilly believes her presence in women's basketball - as well as fellow rookie Angel Reese - should be viewed as 'all positive.'

'I think that everybody can agree like what Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were able to do over the last couple of months is phenomenal and everybody rises from that,' O'Reilly exclusively told Mail Sport from The Soccer Tournament in North Carolina.

'I think obviously envy, jealousy - these are human emotions, and normal emotions. And sports is an emotional game. So things come to the surface.

'Should there have always been more media covering theWNBA? Certainly,' she continued. 'But yeah, it's all positive. And I know Caitlin would probably say too, 'It's a physical sport, steel sharpens steel, and we're just all here to compete.''

Ironically, Reese - a college rival of Clark's who O'Reilly also credited with growing the game - was seen cheering after her teammate Carter's cheap shot on Clark.

Following that play, former Atlanta Dream co-owner (and former Georgia senator) Kelly Loeffler said that she had never seen this 'level of hostility toward one player.'

Mail Sport columnist Tim Howard also saidClark was the 'victim of jealous, race-baiting WNBA bullies who can't stand to see her win.'

Nonetheless, WNBA viewership is massively upthree weeks into the season and Clark has played a huge role in that.

'I think like a lot of female athletes can attest that it's like, we have stayed head down, committed to our craft for our entire lives, sometimes being watched by like, five people, and sometimes being watched by 50,000 people,' O'Reilly added.

'And so sometimes it's been frustrating to not get the media coverage that we feel as we deserve. And so it is like, really rewarding that there is moments like what was happening in NCAA women's college basketball last season. And you know, when the Women's World Cuprolls around, everybody's so engaged.

'So yeah, we take those moments and we we run with them, we realize that they are huge moments in society and sports and sports media. But as an athlete, I think that you just try to keep your head down and keep doing things the right way. And good things come your way.'

While Carter - who has been particularly criticized for her treatment of Clark - is in the prime of her career at just 25 years old, O'Reilly also broached the subject of older players 'passing the baton' to younger athletes and having 'integrity' as they're phased out.

'It happens all the time,' said 39-year-old O'Reilly, who retired from the USWNT in 2016. 'It's like the evolution of sport, right? Like when I came onto the national team, quite frankly, I displaced some players from their job. And that was a weird feeling as a younger player.

And then in the twilight of my career, some players like Mallory Swanson were coming through, that I looked at her and I was just like, 'You know what, that was me 20 years ago. And she's pushing me, and it hurts.'

'And it's difficult for older athletes. But that's just the evolution of life and the circle of life. And it is about finding integrity in those moments to realize that, you know, you play your part and you pass the baton and that's how life and sport works.'