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The WNBA this season has seen its popularity rise due to the Caitlin Clark effect and not everyone is pleased. Coming to her defense is Shannon Sharpe, who passionately stood up for her on a recent episode of ESPN’s First Take.
During the show, Shannon Sharpe defended Caitlin Clark against her critics, particularly media figures who downplay her achievements out of concern that praising her could overshadow WNBA legends.
Sharpe was adamant that recognizing Clark’s contributions in no way diminishes the accomplishments of the pioneers who helped build the league.
Clark has had an outstanding rookie season, as she finished with averages of 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Her performances earned her a spot in the WNBA All-Star game and helped lead her team to their first playoffs in a long while.
In addition to her individual accomplishments, she placed fourth in MVP voting and was named the unanimous Associated Press Rookie of the Year. Sharpe emphasized that Caitlin Clark deserves credit for the excitement she’s brought to the WNBA.
Caitlin Clark’s poor performance on WNBA playoffs debut criticized by analyst
Caitlin Clark’s WNBA playoff debut didn’t go as planned as the Indiana Fever struggled in the 93-69 blowout loss to the Connecticut Sun. It was down to the team’s youth and inexperience, which were on full display, as they suffered one of their worst defeats of the season.
To the shock of fans, Clark, who had been dominant since the Olympic break, had an uncharacteristically poor shooting performance, as she shot 4/17 from the field and 2/13 from beyond the arc. Speaking about the game, ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo commented on her disappointing debut but remained optimistic about Clark’s ability to bounce back in the next game.
Clark finished with 11 points, four rebounds, and eight assists as she was tightly defended by DeWanna Bonner .
It’s not over yet as the Fever will need a strong performance from Clark as they look to stay in contention in the best-of-three series against the Sun.
