January 1, NBA Legend Publicly Backs Star Everyone’s Talking About

Wyatt’s Take

• Basketball superstar drops major endorsement after record-shattering performance that broke multiple league records in single night
• Two athletes proving you can dominate your sport without political grandstanding — just pure talent and mutual respect
• Women’s basketball finally getting the recognition it deserves thanks to one player changing the entire game

Caitlin Clark just put on a show that had the entire sports world watching. The Indiana Fever guard dropped 45 points and dished 10 assists against the Seattle Storm, shattering both franchise and WNBA records in the process.

Her performance was so dominant it caught the attention of NBA free agent LeBron James, who shared highlights of Clark’s best plays on his Instagram story Saturday. The post showed her coast-to-coast and-1, a transition three off one of her four steals, and the clutch three-pointer that sealed the Fever’s victory.

James and Clark have built one of the most unique relationships in basketball. They’ve been supporting each other since Clark’s college days at Iowa, which makes perfect sense — they’re both the faces of their leagues and both Nike athletes.

Before Clark entered the WNBA, James was already publicly defending her against critics and praising how she was transforming women’s basketball. He compared her journey to his own experience as an 18-year-old phenom entering the NBA, recognizing the similarities of being labeled the face of a league while dealing with constant scrutiny and sky-high expectations.

“Transcendent player,” James called her, highlighting her basketball IQ, passing ability, and vision while acknowledging her massive impact on growing the WNBA.

Clark has returned the admiration, calling James one of her biggest basketball idols and describing him as the greatest of all time. (Though she’s wrong about that — Michael Jordan remains the undisputed GOAT.)

When the two finally met in person in March 2025 after the Los Angeles Lakers played the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Clark admitted the moment felt surreal. She grew up watching LeBron dominate the NBA and appreciated that he understood the unique challenges of being a generational talent under constant scrutiny.

He’s supported her through the highs and lows of her professional transition, showing what genuine mentorship looks like in professional sports.

This isn’t your typical mentor-student relationship. It’s a connection between two athletes who’ve made seismic impacts in their respective leagues and recognize greatness when they see it.

Whatever you think about LeBron’s politics or his platform, his respect for Clark and her game is undeniable. She’s unlike anything the WNBA has ever seen, and it’s refreshing to watch an all-time great give her the props she deserves for the best performance of her young career.

Wyatt Matters

This is what sports should be about — excellence recognizing excellence. Clark is proving that talent and hard work trump everything else, and she’s doing it without turning every game into a political statement. She’s bringing eyes to women’s basketball the old-fashioned way: by being undeniably great at what she does. That’s the kind of role model working families want their daughters looking up to.