In a Tale of Redemption and 3-Pointers, Caitlin Clark Finally Wins Over the Toughest Critic in the WNBA
It was a night meant for legends in Minneapolis—Maya Moore’s jersey retirement ceremony, the kind of event where you’d expect the spotlight to shine exclusively on past glories. Yet somehow, a certain rookie from Indiana found a way to crash the party, steal the show, and maybe, just maybe, win the heart of her most infamous critic, Cheryl Reeve.
Caitlin Clark, the current favorite for Rookie of the Year and unofficial Queen of Logo 3s, rolled into Minnesota as if she owned the place. And who could blame her? She’s been casually taking over the WNBA, one 3-point bomb at a time, causing even the most die-hard purists to reconsider their life choices.
Remember that time Reeve ahem “politely declined” to take Clark to the Olympics? Sure, Team USA still brought home the gold, but the whispers in the basketball world were louder than Clark’s deep threes. People questioned Reeve’s sanity, basketball IQ, and even her choice of breakfast cereal. Not picking Clark? It was practically basketball blasphemy.
But oh, how the tables have turned. On Saturday night, before the Fever took on the Lynx, Reeve couldn’t help but gush about the very player she once “overlooked.” Standing in front of a sea of reporters, Reeve—perhaps trying to save face or maybe just genuinely enchanted—sang Clark’s praises like she was auditioning for a spot in her fan club.
“I know the sexier part is the logo 3,” Reeve said, almost as if she’d been caught red-handed on Clark’s highlight reel binge-watching. “But pace and passing is what makes her exceptional.”
You could almost hear the collective gasp. Reeve? Complimenting Clark? The same coach who left her off the Olympic roster was now acknowledging her as “exceptional”? It was like watching a Hallmark movie, where the grumpy old coach finally sees the error of her ways.
And Clark? Well, she was just being Clark. Casually dropping 3s from another zip code and dishing out assists like Oprah hands out gifts. The Target Center was buzzing—no, screaming—fans practically throwing themselves at her for autographs. If Reeve hadn’t already been won over, the sight of Clark working the crowd like a seasoned rock star surely did the trick.
Of course, this all took place on the same night the Lynx retired Maya Moore’s #23 jersey, six years after she stunned the basketball world by stepping away from the game. As Moore was honored for her four WNBA championships and the indelible mark she left on the league, Clark was there, ready to write her own chapter in basketball history.
In some parallel universe, you can imagine Clark and Reeve forming the most unlikely of duos—Reeve coaching the young star she once underestimated, and Clark continuing to break ankles and hearts across the league.
But for now, let’s just savor the irony. Cheryl Reeve, the steely-eyed coach who once said “thanks, but no thanks” to Caitlin Clark, is now one of her biggest fans. If that’s not the ultimate plot twist, then I don’t know what is.
And somewhere in Indiana, Clark is probably smirking, thinking, “Told you so.”