Jason Whitlock made a bizarre comparison between Caitlin Clark and Pete Rose after the legendary baseball star’s death.
The Cincinnati Reds legend passed away on Monday at the age of 83. His death opened a Pandora’s box about what his life and career will be remembered for.
While talking about Rose’s dedicated love for the sport, Whitlock compared his dedication to that of WNBA rookie, Clark.
“When I think of Pete Rose, I understand why there is such a passion for Caitlin Clark,” Whitlock said on his YouTube channel. “Because when Caitlin Clark plays basketball, it reminds you of Pete Rose playing baseball.”
“When you look at Caitlin Clark, you think ‘Holy cow!’ She puts everything on the line and will risk everything to play basketball and achieve her goals,” he continued.
Jason Whitlock made a bizarre comparison between Pete Rose and Caitlin Clark
Rose’s death earlier this week inspired Whitlock to compare his dedication to Clark’s
Clark’s rookie campaign provided a huge boost in WNBA viewership and attendance, thanks in large part to her rivalry with fellow rookie Angel Reese.
On the court, Clark proved to be at the top of her class, taking home the Rookie of the Year award and finishing among the top players in the MVP voting.
Nicknamed Charlie Hustle, Rose played most of his career with Cincinnati and was part of their dominant era in the 1970s. As the Reds’ poster child, Rose holds the record for most goals with 4,256.
Although many describe him as an adrenaline junkie, Rose was infamous for his gambling problem, which MLV warned him about in the 1980s.
After the league investigated his betting, Rose was ultimately banned from baseball, even though his betting was only for an extra push in games. Rick Reilly of The Washington Post wrote that Rose didn’t care about the money, just “the juice.”
While there is no indication that Clark is risking her basketball career because of off-court vices, Whitlock points out, “Holy cow, she has a passion for the game. “She’s willing to risk everything: her reputation, getting poked in the eye, getting beat up by everyone on the field, and we love that and we respect that about her.”
“That’s why there’s so much energy and people trying to protect Caitlin Clark at all costs, why her fan base is out of control and rabid. Because she reminds us of what sports used to be like.’
The controversial analyst then listed NBA greats, mentioning Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant and how they “played the game like the money didn’t matter.”
“This is what Pete Rose represented,” Whitlock said. “And it’s a torch that has now been passed to a 22-year-old girl from Iowa.”