In case you’ve been living under a rock—or worse, only watching NBA Summer League games—Caitlin Clark has been making waves in the WNBA like a speedboat on a tranquil lake. And she’s not just riding the waves; she’s creating a tsunami of assists, making skeptics question their life choices. After another dazzling performance, one veteran analyst has taken the conversation to a whole new level, comparing her to the NBA’s own heavyweights: Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic.
For those still clutching their pearls over Clark’s entrance into the WNBA, you might want to loosen that grip. Shannon Sharpe, on his “Nightcap” podcast, decided to sprinkle some truth and a dash of irony on the debate surrounding Clark’s game. According to Sharpe, Clark’s talent is like that extra order of fries you didn’t ask for but are thrilled to receive—it surpasses all expectations, much like legends Larry Bird, Nikola Jokic, and Luka Doncic.
“She’s elite, she’s the pinnacle at passing the basketball,” Sharpe declared, probably with his signature shrug. “Great players, regardless of the sport, they figure it out.” And boy, is she figuring it out.
Clark’s ability to deliver assists is akin to a magician pulling rabbits out of hats—effortlessly and with a flair that leaves audiences gobsmacked. Sharpe even went on to draw parallels to how people once doubted Luka’s ability to jump, Jokic’s waistline, and Larry Bird’s—you guessed it—being Larry Bird. Clark’s response to such skepticism? Hold her Gatorade.
In the WNBA, where the competition is fierce, and the trash talk fiercer, Clark has decided to let her game do the talking. And it’s speaking louder than a New York cab driver stuck in traffic. While many expected her to be all about the three-point shots—after all, that’s what made her a household name in college—she’s been quietly (well, maybe not so quietly) dominating the assist game.
Leading the league with 8.3 assists per game, Clark is dishing out dimes like it’s Black Friday and she’s got a credit card with no limit. She recently set a single-game record with 19 assists against the Dallas Wings, leaving defenders wondering if they’d accidentally wandered into a Harlem Globetrotters game.
But it doesn’t stop there. Oh no, Clark isn’t just content with breaking records—she’s out here rewriting history books. In her first game back from the All-Star/Olympics break, she decided to casually drop 29 points and 10 assists on the Phoenix Mercury. You know, just to keep things interesting. Then, as if to prove a point, she racked up 23 points and nine assists against the Seattle Storm.
In doing so, she surpassed the rookie assist record previously held by the legendary Ticha Penicheiro, who probably looked at the stat sheet and thought, “Well, it was fun while it lasted.” But Clark? She’s all about that humble pie.
“To pass somebody like her I’m just forever thankful,” Clark said, channeling her inner Miss America contestant. “She’s been such a legend in our game. It’s super cool but hopefully, there’s a lot more of those.”
Translation? “I’m just getting started, y’all.”
In her rookie season, Clark isn’t just etching her name into the history books—she’s carving it in with a chisel. She became the first rookie in WNBA history to notch a triple-double, and at this point, the Rookie of the Year award is hers to lose. And if she keeps playing like this, she might just take home a few more trophies before the year is out.
So, to all the critics, naysayers, and Twitter trolls, Clark’s message is clear: “You can keep doubting, but I’m just going to keep doing what I do best—dominate.”