Longtime WNBA Player Has ‘Refreshing’ Opinion On Caitlin Clark

 

Caitlin Clark hasn’t exactly been welcomed into the WNBA with open arms since going No. 1 overall in the 2024 Draft.

While Clark is beloved by her teammates and coaches, her opponents haven’t exactly been kind to her. That’s to be expected, of course. However, Clark has been on the receiving end of some harsh fouls and some fairly biased comments.

Legendary WNBA star Diana Taurasi was among those who suggested that Clark would have a rude awakening upon entering the league.

“Reality is coming, there’s levels to this thing,” Taurasi said about Clark during a previous interview with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt.

“And that’s just life, we all went through it.

“You look superhuman playing against some 18 years old’s but you’re going to come [play] with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.

“Not saying it’s not gonna translate, because when you’re great at what you do, you’re just gonna get better.

“But there is gonna be a transition period, where you’re gonna have to give yourself some grace as a rookie.”

Caitlin Clark in Fever vs. Sun Game 2.

UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT – SEPTEMBER 25: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever looks on as she plays the Connecticut Sun during the first quarter of Game Two of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs first round at Mohegan Sun Arena on September 25, 2024 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

Clark, though, has done nothing but succeed since entering the WNBA. She averaged 19 points and 9 assists per game as a rookie, while leading the Fever to the playoffs.

This season, she’s missed a couple of weeks due to injury, but upon her return on Saturday, she led the Fever to an upset win over the previously undefeated New York Liberty. Clark had 32 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds in the huge win.

Courtney Williams, who plays for the Minnesota Lynx and has been in the WNBA since 2016, gave Clark her flowers in a recent comment. She’s been extremely impressed.

“I ain’t going to lie, Sabrina was cooking, but Caitlin was cooking. Go look at her statline. Now, when I was in the chat, ‘Caitlin make those girls different.’ You all were in the chat talking about, ‘[makes mocking noises],’” Williams said during a live stream, according to BroBible.

“That girl make that team [the Indiana Fever] different.”

It’s nice to see a longtime WNBA player get honest about Caitlin Clark. You don’t have to like her, but you have to respect her greatness at this point.

And the bigger Clark gets, the better it should be for everyone in the WNBA.