Arguably no player in NBA history entered the league with more pressure and expectations on him than Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James had when he was drafted back in 2003. When it comes to the WNBA, that distinction may belong to Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever.
Clark became an absolute superstar while starring for the University of Iowa, bringing an unbelievable number of eyeballs to watch her play. When she was drafted by the Fever with the first overall pick, the hope was that she would not only help turn around the franchise, but also pack arenas like she did in college.
That has certainly been the case so far, but unfortunately her second season ended early as she has been dealing with a groin injury since July and announced she won’t return this season. Following the announcement, James took to social media to offer some words of encouragement to Clark, via Yahoo Sports:
LeBron James offers words of encouragement to Caitlin Clark after her announcement that she will miss the remainder of the season. pic.twitter.com/f0Q8FGeTzK
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 5, 2025
It is an unfortunate circumstance for Clark, who was looking to build on her impressive rookie campaign. However getting support like this from someone like LeBron, not to mention the many others backing her through this injury, will surely motivate her more to come back even stronger next year.
The popularity of the WNBA has increased significantly and there is no denying that Clark plays a big role in that, even if she has been something of a polarizing figure. Either way, she has handled the expectations very well and has delivered on the court.
Similarly, James was an absolute phenomenon in high school and came into the league having to prove that he could live up to the hype. Now set to enter his 23rd NBA season it is safe to say LeBron has done just that, and Clark will be looking to follow that same path.
Luka Doncic believes LeBron James’ experience will help Lakers this season
LeBron James has been in the news for much of this offseason and many are wondering if this will be his final year with the Lakers as he is entering the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026. The Lakers have clearly shifted to Luka Doncic as the centerpiece of this franchise to build around, but the superstar guard made it clear that he still wants to play with LeBron because he knows what it takes to win a championship.
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