"She backed it up" - Shannon Sharpe likens Caitlin Clark to LeBron James for bringing 'box office' appeal to WNBA

By Miguel de Guzman

Modified Sep 03, 2024 01:03 GMT

Many believe Caitlin Clark is the future of the WNBA. Even before she was drafted by the Indiana Fever last April, her basketball career generated significant interest. Now that she's a pro, Clark is touted as the star who will help the league gain wider recognition.

However, as long-time fans of the women's league point out, she isn't the first star to grace the WNBA hardwood. Yet, Clark's unique talents and impact on the game give her a transcendent quality.

Shannon Sharpe understands this and contextualizes it, adding to the fascination surrounding her. By drawing a parallel between Clark and an NBA star who was hailed as the 'next big thing,' Sharpe adds a compelling layer to his analysis.

"With Michael Jordan, wasn't nobody talking about Connie Hawkins, nobody was talking about Wilt Chamberlain," Sharpe said. "Nodoby was doing that, that's what we've always done. We talk about the player that's currently playing."

Sharpe mentioned the women on whose shoulders Clark stands, naming legends like Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie. Sharpe clarified these past stars weren't being dismissed in favor of Clark.

"But as far as box-office, tell me the lady that came in, she's basically the LeBron James [of the WNBA]," Sharpe added. "The kind of hype that LeBron came to the NBA with, Caitlin Clark came into the WNBA with the same type of hype and she backed it up."

Clark was the consensus number-one pick this year, and numbers-wise, she has lived up to it. She has already set several records and was named an All-Star.

After losing eight of its first nine contests, her team did have a shaky start, but it has bounced back. Clark leads the Fever's rise up the win column, and the team is now above .500 (17-16).

If they maintain their current trend, the Fever will secure their first Playoff berth since 2016.

With her accolades mounting, it should be noted that Clark is far from a true superstar or even the best player in the league yet. She has struggled to keep possessions safe (5.5 turnovers per game), which could be attributed to growing pains. Despite her struggles, however, she has a chance to fulfill her limitless potential.

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LeBron James gave a shoutout to Caitlin Clark on X

While Sharpe compares Caitlin Clark to LeBron James, LeBron recognizes Clark's accomplishments. Specifically, LeBron lauded Clark while also taking a dig at her haters after she scored a career-high in points.

Against the Chicago Sky on Aug. 30, Clark put up a career-best 31 points. She also tallied 12 assists to record another double-double as the Indiana Fever routed the Sky 100-81.

Many of her fans celebrated the win, including LeBron, who posted about it on X.

For everything she's done in her first WNBA season, Caitlin Clark is favored to win the Rookie of the Year award. BetMGM has given her -5000 odds to win the WNBA ROTY award, and this isn't the only piece of hardware she's being considered for.

Clark has snuck into the MVP race behind favorites A'ja Wilson (-3500) and Napheesa Collier (+3000). Clark is at +7500 to win MVP, placing her ahead of stars like Sabrina Ionescu (+15000) and Breanna Stewart (+20000).