BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: In a classic one-great-recognizes-another-great move, LeBron James gave a quick shoutout to Caitlin Clark after she made an epic comeback to the Indiana Fever after suffering a quad injury that kept her out of the lineup for five games.
However, the NBA legend’s shout-out landed him in hot water after WNBA fans called him out for snubbing Angel Reese, who recorded her first triple-double in a win just a day after Clark’s triumph.
LeBron James’ shout-out to Caitlin Clark
After missing five games due to a strained quad, the 2024 Rookie of the Year returned to the active roster on Saturday, June 14, for a game against the New York Liberty.
And in her tremendous comeback, Clark showcased an ace-level performance without missing a beat. Clark finished the game with nine assists, eight rebounds, and 32 points, according to the NY Post.
She went 7-for-14 on 3-pointers and was a thorn in the Liberty’s side to deliver the defending champions their first loss of the season, 102-88, putting an end to their historic 9-0 start.
In the game of comebacks, Clark’s staunch rival Angel Reese was also not very far behind. Just a day after Fever’s strong win against Liberty, Reese recorded her first WNBA triple-double in a win over the Connecticut Sun.
Tallying 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, Reese joined Clark as the only two WNBA players to record a triple-double this season, as per Athlon Sports.
But seemingly, James missed Reese’s awe-inspiring performance and took to his X to put out his thoughts on just Clark’s impressive comeback performance.
“The CC EFFECT!! WELCOME BACK! You were missed!” the four-time NBA champion posted.
Fans call out LeBron James for snubbing Angel Reese
WNBA fans were left disappointed by LeBron James choosing to give a shout-out to Caitlin Clark but remaining silent after Angel Reese’s performance.
“Feel like it’s becoming personal between you and Reese Bron. CC is definitely a wonderful players and her impact is real yet your support is it genuine? Or are you throwing shade at Reese? I hope I am wrong, because your influence is powerful, stay mindful of that,” one fan wrote.
“Where’s the Angel Reese tweet for her triple-double?” a second user called out the NBA legend. “Why don’t you ever tweet this about angel Reese?” a third user questioned.
“Angel Reese the third big in the history of the WNBA to get a triple double and she got a win… where Lebron congratulations at???” a fourth user asked in another post.
“Lebron still salty over Angel Reese’s old tweets,” a fifth user pointed out while a sixth one said, “He likes that White girl…. tell him to stay on that side.”
LeBron James fawning over Caitlin Clark
This is not the first time LeBron James has come out in Caitlin Clark’s defence. The Lakers star defended Clark last year when she was facing backlash from seasoned WNBA players before she joined the league, including Breanna Stewart, who claimed that the Fever’s star would need a collegiate championship to be regarded as an all-time great, and Diana Taurasi saying a “reality check” was on the way.
“If you don’t rock with Caitlin Clark game, you’re just a FLAT OUT HATER!!!!!” James posted on X in April 2024. “Stay far away from them people!! PLEASE.”
He gave another shout-out to Clark last August when she scored 31 points and dished out 12 assists in a decisive victory over the Sky, 100-81.
“CAITLIN CLARK!!!!! HI HATERS,” James posted on X.
Clark has also returned the favor and called James her NBA “GOAT” in an interview with David Letterman in April.
“LeBron is, like, the greatest player of all time. He’s still one of the best players, if not the best player in the world … It’s incredible what he’s done for the game of basketball and the way he’s carried himself. I’ve always been a fan of him,” she said at that time.
