Tyrese Haliburton knows a superstar when he sees one. That’s how the Indiana Pacers guard described Caitlin Clark on Wednesday, on the eve of the Pacers’ first game against the San Antonio Spurs in Paris.
“When it comes to basketball, I think she’s probably top five most famous people that are playing right now, just in general,” Haliburton said. “That includes our league as well. And she handles it with such grace.”
Clark, the Indiana Fever star who turned 23 on Wednesday, was the WNBA Rookie of the Year and earned first-team all-league honors in leading the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Her presence helped the WNBA set viewership and attendance records, and Gainbridge Fieldhouse was sold out for most Fever games.
Haliburton attended several Fever games, and they have become friends. He admires how Clark deals with controversies, though those are almost always created by others.
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“She deals with a lot,” he said. “There’s a lot of rhetoric behind her that she really has no control over. And I think the way that she handles that is just amazing.”
Clark has attended concerts and games around Indianapolis since the Fever’s season ended.
“She’s such a cool person,” Haliburton said. “At the end of the day, she’s just a girl from Iowa who really loves basketball.”
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Caitlin Clark: Tyrese Haliburton calls WNBA player superstar
