Caitlin Clark has barely been in the WNBA long enough to memorize her locker combination, yet her impact is already being likened to that of basketball royalty. On Wednesday, none other than former WWE champion Seth Rollins tossed his hat into the ring of Clark’s admirers, making a bold comparison that might have had Chicago Bulls fans clutching their vintage Jordan jerseys.
While promoting WWE’s SummerSlam on ESPN, Rollins couldn’t help but gush over the Indiana Fever rookie’s transformative effect on women’s basketball. In a statement that teetered on the edge of sacrilege for die-hard Bulls enthusiasts, Rollins remarked, “It’s unbelievable what she’s done for the sport of basketball for women. It’s incredible. I’m a Bulls fan as well, so I don’t want to get blasphemous here, but it’s Jordanesque.”
Rollins, who is no stranger to dramatic flair, elaborated, “She’s changed the game, and I’m not saying anybody’s as good as Michael Jordan, but from an optics perspective, the amount of eyes she’s put on the sport has been incredible.” Translation: Clark may not have Jordan’s six rings, but she’s definitely got more Instagram followers than some entire teams.
As Rollins continued to sing Clark’s praises, he made sure to give a nod to the many women who have paved the way in basketball, acknowledging that Clark is just the current face of a long-standing movement. “It’s not just her. It’s a class of women and girls who have paved the way for years and years and years, but she’s the focal point right now,” he added, likely causing collective eye-rolls among those trailblazers.
At the tender age of 22, Clark has indeed become a WNBA superstar, wowing fans with her long-range shooting and precision passing. Her stats are nothing short of spectacular: averaging 17.1 points, 8.2 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. Clark, who was the top pick in this year’s WNBA draft, has the Fever’s offense humming like a well-oiled machine. Unlike Jordan, who was the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft, Clark entered the league with sky-high expectations and a resumé that includes being a 2x Naismith College Player of the Year and breaking the all-time NCAA scoring record.
A recent study by the Sports Business Journal crowned Clark one of the most likable players today, with 66% of the 1,000 participants holding a positive impression of her. That’s higher than NBA superstars Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, and Kevin Durant, proving that not only is Clark’s jump shot on point, but so is her charm. She’s up there with Nikola Jokic and just a smidge below Steph Curry in the likability department.
The study also revealed that 72% of respondents sympathize with Clark for the constant media attention she receives, while 60% believe she’s treated unfairly by the press. In a sport where media scrutiny can be as relentless as a full-court press, Clark’s ability to remain likable is nothing short of miraculous.
Clark’s influence is undeniable; Fever games now average 16,757 fans whenever she steps onto the court. So, while Rollins’ comparison might have seemed over-the-top at first glance, it’s clear that Caitlin Clark is more than just a rookie – she’s a game-changer. And if she keeps this up, she might just have us all believing that the WNBA’s answer to Michael Jordan has arrived – but with way better hair.
