LeBron James is one of the few people alive today who know what it is like to be in Caitlin Clark’s shoes. Clark has had the spotlight firmly on her since her days at Iowa, and the Indiana Fever superstar spoke about how James has supported her during an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews.
“LeBron has just been there to support me more than anything,” Clark said. “He understands the microscope that I’m under, and the spotlight that’s on me, and I think he just wants to be there for me more than anything. When I was hurt last year, he reached out and was like, ‘Is there any way I can help you? Is there anybody I can connect you with?’
“Just somebody that’s there trying to help you, trying to help make the game better, help you improve, and I think that’s a lot of our relationship now,” Clark added.
Following a phenomenal 2024 season that saw her win Rookie of the Year and finish fourth in MVP voting, Clark struggled with injuries in 2025. Quad, groin, and ankle issues limited her to just 13 games in her sophomore campaign, and contributed to her not being at her best when she was available.
Clark averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 36.7% from the field and 27.9% from beyond the arc. For James to reach out of his own volition during her difficult times speaks to his character and the strength of their relationship.
James first appeared to show his support for Clark when she broke Hall of Famer Pete Maravich’s all-time NCAA scoring record in March 2024. He then backed her to shine when she struggled a bit at the start of her rookie season with the Fever.
Clark would eventually start to dominate, and James called out the haters for doubting her. You had never really seen the Los Angeles Lakers superstar going to bat for someone in this manner earlier. Well, James once explained why he respects Clark and has supported her from Day 1.
“I have a great deal of respect for Caitlin Clark, because I know exactly what it means to be drafted, be the face of a franchise, and also get the scrutiny from a lot of people that don’t believe you’re ready for the next jump, don’t believe you’re ready for the big leagues, and just don’t think that you belong,” James said. “And I remember that when I came into the league at eighteen years old how many people doubted me and hoped and prayed that I’d fail.
“And so, me watching Caitlin and seeing what she’s doing, I’ve been in support of her since day one, because I remember myself going through that, and she has my support 100 percent,” James continued. “She’s a transcendent player. And obviously we all saw that at Iowa, and I knew that it would translate to the big leagues. And she’s an unbelievable talent. It’s great to watch.”
There are definitely parallels. James has spoken about how he felt everyone except his family and friends wanted him to fail before his debut. While that is a stretch, a lot of people sure wanted to see him fall flat on his face.
James, though, shone from the get-go. He went from strength to strength as the years went by, and finds himself in the GOAT conversation today. While Michael Jordan remains the more popular pick, Clark has James as her GOAT, which isn’t all too surprising. She’ll be hoping to thrust herself into these conversations one day for the WNBA, and you wouldn’t bet against her.
The Fever start their 2026 season against the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
