The year is about to end, yet the negativity from some camps toward Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark hasn’t stopped.

Recently, Clark was named Athlete of the Year by Time Magazine. But Washington Mystics owner Sheila Johnson didn’t agree, claiming that race was a factor in Clark getting the honor and the entire WNBA should’ve been featured instead.

Johnson swiftly earned backlash for her remarks, with fans and Clark’s fellow athletes coming to the defense of the Fever guard.

Former NBA player Matt Barnes also joined the fray, ripping Clark’s haters and stressing her wide impact on the WNBA. He also acknowledged the difficulty of Clark’s position as a national phenomenon.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in action in the 2024 WNBA season.

“She’s damned if she does and she’s damned if she doesn’t,” said Barnes on the “All the Smoke” podcast.

Amid the recent criticisms from Johnson, the 44-year-old Barnes also touted Clark as the WNBA’s “golden goose.”

“While the NBA ratings continue to drop over 30% as they try to figure out who’s going to fill the shoes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry, the WNBA has a golden goose sitting in their league,” added Barnes, who won a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2017.

He admitted that Clark wasn’t alone in bringing the WNBA to greater heights this season and named Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson as the league’s best player.

He, however, maintained that the 22-year-old Clark brought a “ton of opportunity and more money” to the WNBA compared to any other player.

“So instead of downplaying the magnitude of who she is and what she’s brought, enjoy the ride and take advantage of the ride and do everything you can do to show the fanbase why they should’ve been watching before Caitlin came along,” said Barnes.