There is no bigger name in college basketball than Caitlin Clark right now. The Iowa star does become a brand to herself after recently violating both the NCAA women’s and men’s score brands, formerly owned by Lynette Woodard and Piet Maravichrespectively. She already has one net worth estimated at millions.
Clark, who started playing in the boys’ leagues when she was 5, is the top pick in the upcoming WNBA draft. At 6-foot-4, she is a big guard for the women’s game, with her passing drawing comparisons to Magic Johnson and her shooting to Steph Curry.
With the women’s NCAA tournament kicking off this week, we reached out to a handful of hoops greats for their take on Clark’s talent and how it could translate to the next level.
Nancy Lieberman (former WNBA player, WNBA and NBA coach, Basketball Hall of Famer)
She won my prize three times. Good, she shall win this year I think it’s the third time. And she is legitimately the GOAT, I don’t really care what anyone else (thinks). No one in the history of the game has done what she has done.
I’m sure some people will say she should win a championship and I agree that a championship means something. (But) Michael Jordan didn’t win a championship the first (seven) years he was in the league. What Caitlin has done for women economically – she is the GOAT. When Michael came to the NBA, very few African American athletes had advertising or endorsements and he changed that. Then everything else, including contracts, got bigger. The expressions of support increased. More people got the chance to do things.
In all the years of Nancy Lieberman, Lynette Woodard, Cheryl Miller, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, A’ja Wilson, Tamika Catchings, Brittney Griner – all these other great, great athletes – we’ve never had the economic impact that Caitlin Clark has , and we were damn good.
There are people lining up – 14,000, 15,000, 18,000 people – to see her play. She’s just an amazing person and I’m super happy for her. She brought men and women, children, boys and girls, hometown fans, everyone – she brought them to the party. In that respect she is a real pioneer. It’s exciting because you want players to be better than you. That just means you’ve set the bar high and that’s exciting.
Muggsy Bogues (NBA star point guard, former WNBA coach)
Oh dear! She’s playing there Steph Curry and shoot the ball from anywhere on the field. That’s amazing and I’m so proud of her. What stands out is her self-confidence. It’s sky high and she believes in herself and she knows the game. You see the passion she has for the game and it’s a joy to watch.
Her IQ level as a basketball player is off the charts. I compare her to Steph because of the fun she has in playing, her shooting skills and the constant movement. It’s about the confidence and the photos she takes.
Natalie Williams (four-time WNBA All-Star, current Las Vegas Aces GM)
She needs to watch TV. You just can’t take your eyes off her considering what she’s going to do next. She influences so many aspects of the game. Her special sauce is not only her ability to shoot from anywhere, but also her incredible passing ability.
You need to guard Caitlin as soon as she hits half court. If you don’t, she will shoot her logo threes, but if you guard her too closely, she’s great at attacking the basket with surprising speed and agility. Her ability to make shots in the (WNBA) won’t be that easy. WNBA players are faster and stronger than what she saw in college, but she will still find a way to get some shots.
Caitlin will be most effective through her ability to pass on to her teammates. That will be difficult for W teams to take away. As long as she has the ball in her hand, her future teammates should always keep one eye on her, because she shall find them.
I look forward to having Caitlin in the WNBA along with all the other great players in the world. Caitlin’s fame will continue to bring well-deserved attention to the WNBA. I won’t be surprised if every arena she plays in this summer is sold out.
Michael Cooper (former NBA Defensive Player of the Year, five-time NBA champion, two-time WNBA champion coach, 2000 WNBA Coach of the Year)
She is the female version of Steph Curry. She has range, she has that tenacity, that will to score. And it will be fun to watch her. Just think: next year she goes to the WNBA and you probably have the best women’s scorer ever.
She is the best shooter God has ever given to the WNBA. And I know the NBA is drooling over that, considering the new addition (to the NBA All-Star game). If I were her coach, I would tell her that it will be different (for her) in the pros than in college. In the WNBA they can identify you and use their defense to stop her.
I think the biggest thing is (whether) she’s a point guard or a shooting guard. And you don’t want to alienate the rest of her teammates by letting her run wild. But it would be a fun project. She is going to add another dimension to it. (You want to) see how she fits in with her teammates and run a lot of pick-and-rolls for her – starting in the half court!
Terry Mills (former NBA sharpshooter, 1989 NCAA champion, current radio analyst for the University of Michigan men’s basketball team)
She is an incredible talent. I think she is exactly what women’s basketball needs in this age of social media. She’s a climax machine. I heard tickets cost $500 to see her play. Like a shooter – man, just the way she runs. She just has unlimited potential.
The Michigan women played in Iowa when she broke the (Women’s Division I scoring record). The game was on Peacock and I went to turn it on and watch the game. But by the time I found it, within the first two or three minutes, she had eight points so quickly that before I could turn it on, she had broken the record.
Everyone is talking about her and it matches how people tuned in to watch Jordan when Jordan was on. She just has that kind of following. You listen in when she plays. I know she is doing very well at NIL and the piece on social media. She had 49 points against Michigan. She’s just an incredible talent.
I wish I had the opportunity to see her in person, but I tell you, seeing her on television is good enough. Every chance I get I tune in to see what she will do next.