In her first season with the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark exceeded expectations, becoming one of the WNBA‘s biggest stars by winning Rookie of the Year and breaking several records. However, her rise also sparked discussions on colorism and racism, with many players, experts, and legends weighing in on her popularity.

One of Clark’s strongest supporters has been women’s basketball legend Cheryl Miller, who dominated at USC, leading the team to two NCAA championships. She won the Naismith College Player of the Year award three times and played a key role in the U.S. team’s gold-medal run at the 1984 Olympics.

“I was like, ‘C’mon, you big dummies,’” Miller said in response to Clark’s criticism during the March 13 episode of the ALL THE SMOKE podcast. “Is she getting hyped? Yes. But she was in the backyard. She was putting in the same time, sometimes maybe more than you were. I can’t fault her for what she was given.”

She continued, “As much as she was given, you can’t tell me if that door swung the other way, where she didn’t live up to the hype—c’mon, folks are still waiting for her to fall! So with that being said, you big dummies, you’re getting paid now! Everybody now has an opportunity to pull up their chair and have a seat.”

Miller has defended Clark in the past

This isn’t the first time Miller, who worked with Clark during the WNBA All-Star weekend last season, has come to her defense. During a July 2024 episode of the Breakthrough Chronicles podcast with Kevin Ray, she spoke about helping Clark navigate the pressure.

Caitlin Clark’s new teammate sends heartfelt message after joining Indiana Fever

“And I saw that first win can be so shedding of some of that weight, some of that volume, and I gave her the biggest hug that I could,” Miller said of Clark. “And when she saw me, she was like, ‘Oh man, finally, somebody who’s on my side.’”

Caitlin Clark and Cheryl Miller during the WNBA All-Star Game (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

“[Clark] was getting hit with everything left and right,” Miller added. “And I just said, I hugged her and said, ‘I’m so proud of you. Savor this, use this as a formula, but keep being you. No matter what, keep being you.’”

With the new WNBA season starting in May, Clark, who opted not to join Unrivaled, has been focused on training. In a recent appearance, she showcased a more muscular physique.

Raina Harmon, a longtime assistant coach at Clark’s alma mater, Iowa, posted a photo with her on Instagram, writing, “Pulled up on my dawg and she was WORKING! Them scary hours gon’ have ’em like,” followed by a surprised emoji.

The Indiana Fever have revamped their roster for the upcoming season, adding veteran talents such as DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, and Sophie Cunningham to join Clark, Lexie Hull, and Kelsey Mitchell.