In a world where sports have become the ultimate reality TV show, NBA broadcaster David Aldridge has one simple request: Can we please just enjoy Caitlin Clark’s basketball wizardry without all the extra baggage? The longtime commentator, who’s been around the block with TNT, ESPN, and NBA TV, took to OutKick’s “The Ricky Cobb Show” to voice what we’re all secretly thinking.
“[Clark] is such a great player,” Aldridge exclaimed, practically begging through the airwaves. “Can we just watch her play and enjoy watching her without dragging all the other nonsense into it?”
You heard the man—ditch the drama, folks! Whether you’re Team Clark or, heaven forbid, Team Anyone Else, Aldridge isn’t here for your petty squabbles. He’s here to watch the ball soar, the net swish, and Caitlin Clark leave defenders questioning their life choices.
For those of you still living under a rock, Caitlin Clark is not just any player; she’s the rookie phenom lighting up the WNBA with the Indiana Fever. Aldridge even dared to compare her to NBA legends who made history by simply being so good that fans couldn’t look away, even if they wanted to. “It’s clear that she moves the needle, right?” Aldridge pointed out, his rhetorical question hanging in the air like one of Clark’s pinpoint passes. “People want to watch her play. She’s a great player. And I think she is certainly a person that gets attention from casual fans; and, again, that’s the lifeblood of a league that’s really surviving and thriving.”
And in case you missed it, Clark recently tied the WNBA rookie record for most 3-pointers in a season with 85. That’s right, 85 long-range daggers that would make Steph Curry nod in approval. Over 30 games, she’s averaging a cool 18 points, just shy of six rebounds, and a little over eight assists per game. Oh, and did we mention she’s the front-runner for Rookie of the Year? Not too shabby for a former Iowa Hawkeye who’s now making professional defenders look like they just signed up for a beginner’s basketball clinic.
But let’s get back to Aldridge’s plea. “We’ve seen that in the NBA over the last four decades with some guys that just move the needle,” he said, rattling off names like Magic, Bird, Kobe, Steph, and LeBron as if he was naming his favorite pizza toppings. The point is, Clark has that same irresistible pull—whether you love her or love to hate her, you’re watching. And if you’re not, are you even a sports fan?
So, next time you’re tempted to turn Caitlin Clark’s brilliance into a debate over who’s better, who’s worse, or who said what on Twitter, take a deep breath and heed David Aldridge’s advice: “Enjoy watching her dime people up, enjoy watching her attack a defense, enjoy her working with her teammates.” Because at the end of the day, isn’t that what basketball’s really about?
As for Aldridge, he’s been awarded the Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Basketball Hall of Fame, so when he says it’s time to focus on the game, maybe we should all just listen.