Caitlin Clark's WNBA career got off to a bumpy start and since has been a controversial topic around the basketball world.
The Indiana Fever star has been roughed up and taunted by vets and opposing players, most notably being knocked down by Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter before Carter publicly questioned what Clark brings to the game besides her 3-point shooting.
To Warriors coach Steve Kerr, someone who has been around the game of professional basketball for nearly four decades, he believes Clark's treatment is nothing new for a talented, young hooper -- and the nine-time NBA champion sees similarities to the start of Golden State superstar Steph Curry's career.
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"I think it's kind of a right of passage for young players, whether it's the WNBA or the NBA. The other players are going to test you," Kerr told MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle on Monday's episode of "The 11th Hour." "And actually, Caitlin reminds me a lot of Steph Curry. A lot of people may not remember this, but in Steph's first couple of years, he was not a superstar. He was not who he is now. He had to get stronger, he had to understand people were coming after him. That's what is happening with Caitlin right now.
"I think it's all in the name of competition. She's handling herself beautifully. She's an amazing player, but like every college player who comes into the WNBA or the NBA, it takes time. They've got to get stronger, more used to the contact, the physicality, the athleticism. So she'll be fine, and I think everything she's going through right now is just all part of being a pro."
A four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP and 10-time NBA All-Star, Curry is a household name globally and his elite shooting ability singlehandedly changed the game of basketball.
But it wasn't a road to riches right away for the 3-point king.
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After being overlooked by college scouts, Curry entered the NBA already with an underdog mentality. At 6-foot-3 and just barely over 180 pounds, the rookie with the everlasting baby face was picked on and bullied on the floor due to his size.
And although the baby face never really went away, even entering his 16th NBA season, Curry focused on bulking up while building muscle -- and confidence.
The results are written in his NBA résumé, and with time and determination, Kerr believes the same could hold true for Clark and her legacy in the W.
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