Clark was the victim of a lot of unkind attention upon being drafted into the WNBA
Caitlin Clark has become the first rookie in WNBA history to achieve a triple-double. The former Iowa star has transitioned seamlessly to the professional level, leading the league in assists and recently setting a new single-game record with 19 assists.
Her outstanding performance has sparked controversy and criticism regarding the WNBA’s handling of their new phenom.
Caitlin Clark sets up assist to Angel Reese before anybody else could see it
Playing for the WNBA All-Star team, Clark helped secure a 117-109 win over the USA women’s Olympic squad. She tallied 10 assists, just one shy of Sue Bird‘s All-Star record, with pinpoint passing that facilitated teammate Arike Ogunbowale‘s record-breaking 34-point performance.
This raises the question: Why isn’t Clark on Team USA for the Paris Olympics?
Colin Cowherd’s critique
Fox Sports Radio host Colin Cowherd, on his show “The Herd,” criticized the WNBA’s handling of Clark.
“Women’s basketball keeps saying Caitlin Clark isn’t ready,” Cowherd declared on ‘The Herd’.
“But it’s the other way around. Clark is more than ready. It’s women’s basketball that isn’t ready for her.”
He compared the situation to the NBA’s embrace of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird as rookies, suggesting the WNBA‘s reluctance to promote Clark reveals a deep-seated insecurity.
Clark‘s performance in the WNBA All-Star game demonstrated her readiness. She led her team to victory over the U.S. Olympic squad, dishing out 10 assists and proving herself as the game’s best playmaker. In seven of her last eight games, she has recorded double-digit assists-an impressive feat for any player, especially a rookie.
Marketing and promotion concerns
Cowherd argued that the WNBA was unprepared for Clark’s arrival.
“You can’t say she caught you off-guard,” Cowherd said.
“She was breaking college records for years.”
He criticized the league for not having a marketing plan in place and Cowherd assumed there was a lack of confidence within the league.
