I’ve been a WNBA star for years – I want to end these Caitlin Clark suspicions for good’

New York Liberty star Jonquel Jones has responded to the idea that WNBA players were more physical against Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark during her rookie season

Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark enjoyed a record-breaking rookie season in the WNBA (Image: Chet White/Getty Images)WNBA star Jonquel Jones has dismissed the theory that there was a targeted campaign against Caitlin Clark.

Indiana Fever guard Clark won Rookie of the Year after setting the single-season assist record. The 22-year-old helped steer the Fever into the playoffs and was one of the key reasons behind the WNBA’s boom in popularity.

WNBA star Jonquel Jones has dismissed the theory that there was a targeted campaign against Caitlin Clark.

Indiana Fever guard Clark won Rookie of the Year after setting the single-season assist record. The 22-year-old helped steer the Fever into the playoffs and was one of the key reasons behind the WNBA’s boom in popularity.

I think it was awkward for me like or kind of like, you would go on social media and you would just see like people pushing narratives that just weren’t true,” Jones said on the Kickin It With Dee podcast. “We’re going out there to compete hard every night… it’s our job, and we’re athletes.

“It wasn’t that we, the WNBA players, are trying to like bully Caitlin Clark. But it was just the fact that we’re going to go out here, we’re going to hoop.”

“It was never about her personally or trying to attack her; it was just about us, you know, going out there,” Jones added. “The best sign of respect you could get from an opponent is them coming out there and playing you hard.”

I think it was awkward for me like or kind of like, you would go on social media and you would just see like people pushing narratives that just weren’t true,” Jones said on the Kickin It With Dee podcast. “We’re going out there to compete hard every night… it’s our job, and we’re athletes.

“It wasn’t that we, the WNBA players, are trying to like bully Caitlin Clark. But it was just the fact that we’re going to go out here, we’re going to hoop.”

“It was never about her personally or trying to attack her; it was just about us, you know, going out there,” Jones added. “The best sign of respect you could get from an opponent is them coming out there and playing you hard.”

Jonquel Jones and Caitlin Clark
Jonquel Jones and Caitlin Clark were teammates in the WNBA All-Star game (Image: Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
New York Liberty star Jones has been in the WNBA since 2016 and is not the first player to dismiss the idea that Clark received special treatment from her opponents. However, even WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert bit back at the theory after Clark posted 30 points in the Fever’s win over the Washington Mystics in June.

“Did anyone say she was targeted in that game?” Engelbert asked. “No, because everyone’s just looking for the outcome they want.”

Clark will play under a new coach next year after the Fever decided to part ways with Christie Sides. Stephanie White was announced as the Fever’s new coach on November 1, having recently left the Connecticut Sun.

Her phenomenal efforts on the court quickly established Clark as the Fever’s star player and led to suspicious fan claims that teams were being overly physical against the rookie. However, WNBA Finals MVP Jones has rejected the idea that there was a league-wide campaign to strong-arm Clark.

WNBA star Jonquel Jones has dismissed the theory that there was a targeted campaign against Caitlin Clark.

Indiana Fever guard Clark won Rookie of the Year after setting the single-season assist record. The 22-year-old helped steer the Fever into the playoffs and was one of the key reasons behind the WNBA’s boom in popularity.