Skip Bayless downplays Caitlin Clark's comparison with superstar Steph Curry after Indiana Fever crash out of playoffs

By Atishay Jain

Modified Sep 26, 2024 10:16 GMT

Indiana Fever's season came to a screeching halt on Wednesday, which meant an end to Caitlin Clark's remarkable rookie season. Indiana suffered an 87-81 defeat in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Connecticut Sun.

Clark had a challenging first experience in the playoffs. The former Iowa standout likely expected a deeper run, rather than being limited to just two games, after helping the Fever break their eight-year playoff drought.

Following the end of Clark and Indiana's playoff run, veteran analyst Skip Bayless weighed in on the comparisons between the Indiana star and Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry. While Skip downplayed the comparison to the greatest shooter of all time, he acknowledged the one-time WNBA All-Star's playmaking abilities and her skill in creating opportunities for her teammates:

"I don't see Steph Curry in Caitlin Clark. She shot 34% from 3 this rookie season. Steph is a 43% 3-pt shooter for his 15-yr CAREER," Bayless said in a post on X/Twitter.

"But she is a generational passer and orchestrator - already the best in her league," he added.

Bayless also shared a video expressing his gratitude to the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark and other players for their outstanding performances throughout the season.

"Allow me to publicly thank the Indiana Fever for putting up such a great fight tonight and battling back again and again and again all season long," the veteran analyst said.

"Let me thank Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell and all the rest for refusing to say die, refusing to lose, fighting back again and again...playing at a much higher level than they should be at this stage and age. Was I ever entertained! I got the Fever. I can't wait until next year," he added.

Caitlin Clark vs Steph Curry

Caitlin Clark had a phenomenal season shooting the basketball from beyond the arc. She led the league in made 3-point shots and knocked down 122 attempts from deep. Clark fell six short of tying Sabrina Ionescu's single-season record for most 3-pointers made by a WNBA player.

The Fever star shot 34.4% from beyond the arc during the regular season but faced significant struggles in the playoffs. Over two games against the Sun, she managed just 5-of-25 from 3-point range, resulting in a 20% shooting percentage.

In comparison, Steph Curry boasts a career 3-point shooting percentage of 42.6%. While Clark shot 34.4% from beyond the arc in her rookie season, Curry had an outstanding 43.7% 3-point shooting accuracy in his rookie campaign, despite playing double the number of games. Clark played 40 games, while Curry appeared in 80 during his debut season.