Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is defending his friend Caitlin Clark.
During the Pacers media day on Monday, Haliburton was asked about his thoughts on the WNBA star who he and his girlfriend have formed a bond with since her arrival in Indiana, including the Pacers point guard attending a number of her games.
THE INDIANA BASKETBALL STARS HAVE FORMED A FRIENDSHIP
“I grew pretty close with Connor McCaffery [Caitlin’s boyfriend] being an intern with the Pacers last year and I’ve grown to be pretty close with Caitlin and him,” the 2024 NBA assists leader answered reporters. “Me, her, him and my girlfriend Jade all have a group chat that we talk in pretty often about everything.”
Haliburton then said what SO many people and new WNBA fans feel, yet somehow many of the players themselves and sports media reporters don’t realize.
“I’m locked into watching more WNBA,” since Clark’s arrival, Haliburton continued.
“It’s been really cool to see her growth this last year and the Fever as a whole,” he said. “To see Kelsey Mitchell get some playoff experience, the whole group, Aliyah Boston. They’re a young group, they’ll be back for success.”
EVERYONE WANTS SOMETHING FROM CLARK
The question by reporters came as Caitlin Clark has become a divisive topic among the WNBA who continue to be their own worst enemy over their treatment of the Fever star, who just wants to play basketball and not get involved the rest of the unnecessary drama surrounding her. Last week, the WNBA Player’s Association (WNBPA) had the audacity to release a statement calling for USA Today to take action against reporter Christine Brennan for asking Dijonai Carrington about a foul she committed against Clark. The WNBPA claimed that the question itself was provoking a racial narrative. USA Today responded by defending Brennan.
Tyrese Haliburton better get ready because his comments from yesterday supporting Clark are not going to sit well with those that are determined to continue the anti-Clark rhetoric.
Last week, the Fever were eliminated in the first round of the WNBA playoffs by the Connecticut Sun but there’s no doubt that the acquisition of drafting Clark to the team has changed not only the team but also the league. Tyrese says that this has led to everyone wanting to try and get something from Clark – whether to help their own branding, stature or narrative.
“It’s been cool to just grow a friendship with her. I don’t want to be. Everybody just wants to get more from her, take more from her, get more answers to things and I don’t want to be that. We’re friends and I think that that’s a cool part. If she wants to talk basketball, we’ll talk basketball. If not, I’m totally fine with that as well. But I think we’ve grown a pretty cool friendship alongside Connor.”
As a Knicks fan, I’m not a huge Haliburton supporter as his Pacers eliminated us during the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals last year. But as a person? Haliburton definitely sees what’s happening to Caitlin Clark and is a loyal and good friend no doubt.
