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Tina Charles Defends Caitlin Clark Against Criticism After Tough Team USA Game
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- Tina Charles Defends Caitlin Clark Against Criticism After Tough Team USA Game
Critics called out Caitlin Clark after her subpar game for Team USA when they faced Italy on Sunday. The Indiana Fever star scored just one point, coming from a free throw. She didn't make any field goals and only had one assist. Despite that, the Americans escaped with a narrow 55-52 win .
Before the USA's game against the Czech Republic on Monday, there was a lot of attention on Clark because of her forgettable performance. Plenty of fans expected the 24-year-old to keep her momentum going after her 14-point, 11-assist performance in her World Cup debut against China on Friday.
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WNBA legend Tina Charles , however, refused to pin the blame solely on Clark. Charles called out the unfair treatment Clark has received after her one-point dud against Italy.
"I think it's a little bit unfair to isolate Caitlin Clark from Team USA, right?" Charles said during the broadcast of the USA-Czechia game. "Caitlin Clark had rhythm in the first game, so did Team USA. Caitlin Clark struggled to find that rhythm (against Italy), so did Team USA."
The 2012 WNBA MVP said both Clark and the squad have to find a way for her to impact the game if her shot is not falling.
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"I think the lesson for Team USA and Caitlin Clark is when (what) I'm used to doing is not available or I'm not able to do that, what is the second thing I'm going to do to impact this game?" Charles continued.
"For me, it's a little bit unfair to isolate her from Team USA."
Clark bounced back in their final group stage game, scoring nine points and dishing out seven assists. She helped Team USA secure a dominant 105-64 victory over the Czech Republic.
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The Americans are now awaiting their quarterfinal opponent after sweeping Group D of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. They will face the winner of Tuesday's qualifying game between Japan and Hungary.
Related: Angel Reese's Comments Resurface After Team USA Decision
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
