Caitlin Clark earns Skip Bayless’ respect with her on-court heroics: "She's a LeBron-esque passer"

By Atishay Jain

Modified Nov 16, 2024 10:00 GMT

Caitlin Clark earned high praise from veteran basketball analyst Skip Bayless, who revealed he was "captivated" by the Indiana Fever superstar's incredible on-court performances. Speaking on the "All The Smoke" podcast, Skip admitted he wasn’t initially a big fan of Clark during her Iowa days.

However, after witnessing the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year’s exceptional skill set throughout the 2024 season, Skip said he was left in awe. He even drew a comparison between Clark’s elite passing ability and that of one of the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron James.

"I wasn’t a big Caitlin Clark fan when she was at Iowa," Skip said (from 1:31:54). "Though I got into it a little more in the Final Four and certainly the Final Game. I found myself captivated watching her..."

"And I still can’t quite explain why because I thought she was just a three-point shooter and I didn’t see this at Iowa, this at Iowa but she’s a LeBron-esque passer of the basketball… I didn’t see that coming." he added.

In her rookie season, Caitlin Clark led the league in assists, averaging an impressive 8.4 per game. She totaled 337 assists overall, outpacing Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun, who recorded 317.

Skip Bayless on Caitlin Clark's turnovers

While praising Caitlin Clark’s exceptional playmaking abilities, Skip Bayless also addressed her high turnover rate. Clark led the league in turnovers by a significant margin, committing 223 turnovers compared to Alyssa Thomas, who ranked second with 145.

"She (Caitlin Clark) led the league by far in assists but she shattered, I mean like, obliterated the all-time turnover record," Skip continued.

"She did by like 75 turnovers because she will try anything at any moment; thread the needle where there’s 17 hands in between, and you’re not going to get the basketball through. And she tries to get it through.

"But every once in a while, she’ll throw some lead pass and it’s just… it’s a touchdown you know where she’ll hit somebody right in the hands." he added.

Meanwhile, Clark broke several records during her rookie season, playing a pivotal role in leading the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance in eight years.

Clark appeared in all 40 regular season games, averaging 19.2 points on 41.7% shooting, including 34.4% from beyond the arc. She also contributed 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, showcasing her all-around impact on the court.