"I am unwilling to say she is great yet": Former Duke star Jay Williams offers hot take on Iowa’s Caitlin Clark despite breaking NCAAB record heroics
Former Duke star Jay Williams feels that it's too early to crown Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark as a great player, as she's yet to earn the greatest prize, an NCAA women's basketball championship.
Iowa superstar guard Clark set the all-time NCAA women's basketball scoring record by knocking in 49 points in the 106-89 win over Michigan on Thursday. Clark passed Kelsey Plum's record by burying a logo 3-point shot early in the first quarter.
She received praise from greats Tom Brady, Billie Jean King and Alex Morgan, as well as former rival Angel Reese after the game. ESPN/SEC analyst Andraya Carter described the six-foot Clark as a great player and a fan favorite, whether she plays at home or as a visitor.
Williams described Clark, whose NIL value is pegged at $818,000 (per On3), as the "Stephen Curry of women's college basketball" and the "most prolific scorer" the game has ever seen.
“I think she has changed the dynamics of the way the game is played. I think the way she plays, the pizzazz, like, she’s probably the most prolific scorer the game of basketball has ever seen," said Williams.
And to contradict Carter, the former Blue Devil pointed out that he still wants to see Clark leading Iowa to the national championship before including her in the pantheon of "great" players.
“I am unwilling to say that she is great yet. I hold great, or the levels of immortality or the pantheon, to when you win championships.
"So I’m not saying that she’s not at a high, high, high level, but for her to go to the states of immortality in my opinion, it has to culminate with your team winning a championship,” said Williams, who played for a season with the Chicago Bulls in the 2002-03 season.
He then mentioned Connecticut Huskies legends Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart, who both won multiple national championships and individual accolades during their playing years in the NCAA.
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Clark came close to a national championship last season but her 30-point effort was not enough to carry Iowa in the final. They lost to LSU, 102-85.
Caitlin Clark is 99 points away from another milestone
After eclipsing Kelsey Plum's record, Caitlin Clark is inching closer to another all-time scoring milestone. The Hawkeyes guard needs just 99 points to eclipse Pete Maravich as the all-time leading scorer for both men's and women's college basketball.
She has four regular season games remaining in her schedule, meaning she has four chances of breaking the scoring mark. Clark is averaging 32.8 points per game this season and it is possible that she can break Maravich's mark in three or four games.
Was former Duke player Jay Williams correct in not including Caitlin Clark as among the greats in women's basketball? Let us know in the comments section.