Despite what she's meant for the untapped growth of women's sports, Caitlin Clark's value on and off the court has been a point of contention.
The constant disdain should be expected. In the modern media landscape, it seems impossible to have a universal approval rating.
This contempt has reached new heights in the last few months, with the 23-year-old battling various nagging injuries and struggling to perform at an All-Star level.
Clark's stroke in particular has fallen off a cliff, shooting just 37% from the floor and a woeful 27% from beyond the arc.
On his popular "520 Podcast," former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague took an odd shot at Clark, suggesting she's "not that good."
Respected Coach Nancy Lieberman took umbrage with this remark and blasted the longtime Atlanta Hawks point guard.
"I don't agree with Jeff Teague—you weren't a great player," Lieberman said. "You were serviceable; you made the All-Star team one time, but if we're going to be honest, I'm happy for your career. She is great."
This style of argument always loses weight to me—it's like saying an archeologist can't have an opinion on dinosaurs because they never saw one roaming the streets.
Teague is allowed to have an opinion and share his immense knowledge on the game.
That doesn't mean the crux of Lieberman's statement is invalid. Clark is a superstar who had the Indiana Fever as a budding title contender at her best.
It's more likely that Clark cements her status as the face of the WNBA and hoists an MVP trophy before she becomes average.