Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark just set the WNBA record for most assists in a game. She got off to a slow start, but the 22-year-old rookie is already showing she is one of the best players in the league. Clark is an All-Star as a rookie and has the potential to go down as an all-time great.
The 6’0 guard has taken the W to new popularity. She has been part of 14 of the 16 highest-viewed games this season and has over 1 million people consistently tuning in to watch her play. Clark is selling out arenas across the country and bringing tons of new fans to the sport.
Sue Bird is one of the ten best players in WNBA history and was a trailblazer for women’s basketball. She credits Clark for helping the league reach new heights. Hear what the legend had to say about the Fever’s star.
Sue Bird says Caitlin Clark’s shooting changed the WNBA
Bird had this to say about what makes Clarks special on “Good Game with Sarah Spain”, which is produced by iHeartPodcasts, as part of the company's new Women's Sports Audio Network.
"From a basketball standpoint, I think Caitlin in particular, her long-distance threes. I always said this, we finally got the antidote to dunking. All we heard our entire existence was, ‘you guys are boring. You don't dunk. Oh, maybe you should lower the rims. It would be more exciting.’ And the thing about the long three is it is what it is. The distance is the distance, it goes in or it doesn't. It's the same for everybody. So in a sense, I think she snapped people out of this trance that was very negative towards women's basketball and now she's brought this huge group."
Clark has often been compared to Warriors superstar Stephen Curry for her ability to hit shots from long-range. The 22-year-old is launching from well beyond the arc as she continues to push the boundaries of what is possible.
Bird also gave Clark credit for being “the change” in the popularity of women’s basketball. Fans can listen to the entire podcast with the WNBA great below.
No player has made more than Bird’s 13 WNBA All-Star appearances, and the 5’9 guard helped the Seattle Storm win four championships during her 19 seasons in the league. Sue played her entire career for one franchise. She is unquestionably one of the best to ever do it.
Clark does not care about records or accomplishments. She just wants to win basketball games. The 22-year-old guard keeps making history and is taking the entire league to new heights. Clark is years away from her peak and will keep getting better.
It is not just the deep 3-pointers that separate Caitlin Clark. She is already the best current playmaker in the WNBA, and this is just the beginning. Clark has a ton more to accomplish and wants to be mentioned alongside Bird as one of the GOATs. The 22-year-old is well on her way, and the best is yet to come.