NEED TO KNOW
- LeBron James wished Caitlin Clark "good luck" ahead of her second season in the WNBA
- James told Caitlin Clark to "DO YOU per usual" when she takes the court with the Indiana Fever
- Clark scored a triple double in the Fever's home opener on Saturday, May 17
LeBron James is ready to cheer on Caitlin Clark this WNBA season.
As the new season tipped off for Clark and the Indiana Fever on Saturday, May 17 with a dominating 93-58 win over the Chicago Sky, James took to Instagram to dedicate a post on his feed to wishing the 23-year-old luck in her sophomore season.
James, 40, shared three photos of himself with Clark taken as the basketball stars met up in the tunnel of an arena recently. The Laker was seen in a colorful Nike sweatshirt and holding a camouflage laptop sleeve, while Clark was sporting blue jeans and a khaki jacket during their meeting.
In the first photo, Clark and James are smiling and posing for the camera. The next two shots shared by the Lakers star show Clark and James going in for a hug.
"Good luck and DO YOU per usual this season!!! @caitlinclark22 🙏🏾💪🏾🫡👑," James captioned the photos.
Clark commented on the post, writing, "The greatest of all time. Thank you 🐐❤️🙏🏻."
Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty
The support from James, who, like Clark, was also touted as the player who would become the face of his league in his early career, comes amid the WNBA investigating allegations of “hateful” and racist comments targeting Chicago Sky star Angel Reese following their loss to the Fever on Saturday.
Clark showed out in her first game of the season, recording a triple double with 20 points, 10 rebound and 10 assists. But the matchup turned controversial in the third quarter.
With 4:38 to go, Clark went for the ball and slapped Reese’s arm in the process. Officials determined Clark committed a flagrant 1 foul and Reese was visibly upset with Clark. Both players had to be held back and Fever forward Aliyah Boston, who tried to intervene, was called for a technical, as was Reese.
After the Sky star went to the line to shoot free throws, Reese was booed by fans, which occurred throughout the game, according to ESPN.
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Later, The IndyStar reported that Reese was the target of alleged racist comments.
Melissa Tamez/ Icon Sportswire, Andy Lyons/Getty
The WNBA issued a statement following the reports, saying, "The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter.”
Clark and Reese's rivalry goes back to their clash in the 2023 women’s Final Four when Reese played for LSU and Clark for Iowa.
The WNBA stars will next face each other on June 7 in Chicago.
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