There’s no statement quite as powerful as proving your haters wrong by just doing your thing. Well, that’s precisely what Caitlin Clark did as she and the Indiana Fever went to Wintrust Arena and defeated the Chicago Sky in a dominant display. The star of the show? Surprise, surprise! Caitlin Clark – who dropped an insane double-double and, in the process, made even more history. And unlike her haters, LeBron James was all for it!

The Caitlin Clark effect is real. Before drafting her, the Fever was able to win only 13 games last season and finished as the 10th seed. But the story is different in 2024. Owing to the 22-year-old’s performance – a career-high 31 points, 12 assists, and 4 rebounds (all of which she did in 32 minutes) – Indiana took its 16th win of the season with 8 games to spare. With a 16-16 record, the team is now the 6th seed, edging closer to its first playoff appearance since 2016. But that’s not all.

On Wednesday, Clark led her team to an 84-80 win over the Connecticut Sun, dropping 19 points. In those 19 points was a historic three-pointer – the 86th she scored this season. That helped her break the rookie record for three-pointers set by Rhyne Howard in 2022. And by the end of the night, Clark had 88 to her name, leading the WNBA in three-pointers this season. Watching her make history every time she steps onto the court and proves her haters wrong, LeBron James tweeted on Friday, “CAITLIN CLARK!!!!! HI HATERS”

Then, King James went deeper into the rabbit hole and responded to a fan who wrote, “HOLY SH-T CAITLIN CLARK IS COLD!!” Agreeing with the sentiment, LBJ remarked, “SO COLD!!!!” Against Chicago, she dropped five more three-pointers, increasing her rookie-season tally to 93! And owing to her 12 assists, she extended her rookie record to 236. Moreover, Caitlin Clark has more assists and turnovers than any other player in the WNBA this year.

That said, seeing how rapidly the Fever has improved this year courtesy of CC’s historic rookie year, LeBron James pointed out one key issue that might be stopping Indiana from elevating to the next level. After all, while the team may be inching toward a playoff berth, they’re still far from the favorites to win the title. Responding to a fan who suggested the Fever hire a veteran leader like Tina Charles, LeBron wrote, “Yeah, they need another piece. A solid vet! Tina definitely still got plenty game left. A couple others in mind too.”

While the 20-time NBA All-Star didn’t divulge who exactly he had in mind, it’s safe to say that a veteran presence is what Indiana likely needs to take that next step. The team currently has only three players over 30, with Erica Wheeler the oldest at 33. However, Wheeler has been a bench player this season and is no longer in her prime. So, LBJ advised the team to add 35-year-old Tina Charles, who is averaging 14.6 points this season in Atlanta and is still on top of her game.

In February this year, Charles signed a 1-year, $130,000 deal with the Dream with no protection. The team brought her on mainly because of her impact as their “young core continues to mature,” according to head coach Tanisha Wright. That’s precisely what the Fever needs right now. Of late, it’s become evident how effective the team is when more experienced players like Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell are on the floor together.

Adding Tina Charles to the roster will help younger players like Clark, NaLyssa Smith, and Aliyah Boston fine-tune their skills further. And whether or not anyone else is ready to witness all that Indiana’s No. 22 can achieve going forward, LeBron James sure is because he’s been on the Caitlin Clark hype train since day one.

When she stepped up to the WNBA, James discussed Clark on his Mind the Game podcast, sharing some advice for the young star. Besides appreciating her basketball skills, LeBron said, “The one thing I love that she’s bringing to her sport… Don’t get it twisted. Caitlin Clark is the reason why a lot of great things are gonna happen for the WNBA. I’m rooting for Caitlin because I’ve been in that seat before. I’ve walked that road before.” 

Staying true to what James said, Caitlin Clark’s face-off against NCAA rival and Chicago Sky player Angel Reese saw record-breaking ticket prices for Friday’s game. As listed by TickPick, the average cost for a ticket was $334. That’s the highest the WNBA has ever seen. While all these records are only adding to the historic story of Clark’s rookie season…

Winning remains the topmost priority for Caitlin Clark

As of now, the Rookie of the Year race is between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. But CC is slowly gaining an edge as she recently broke the record for most threes by a rookie. However, she is not worried about the individual accolades and has team success as her top priority, “We don’t wake up and think about individual awards. I know that’s what all of you think we do. I know we don’t. That’s what everybody wants to make this about. Both of our teams are competing for playoff spots. That is our main focus.”

Yes, averaging 18 points and over 8 assists is great, but it doesn’t mean much to Clark until the numbers translate to wins. “Our focus is on winning basketball games… If you’re playing basketball to win individual awards, no matter what level you’re at, you’re doing it wrong. That’s not fun, and that’s not being a good teammate.” With only one goal in her mind, maybe LeBron’s advice will lead the Fever to add a veteran leader who can help speed up Clark’s progress and make the team title contenders very soon. What are your thoughts?

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.