Fans and analysts expected Caitlin Clark to take the WNBA by storm and she did not disappoint. The guard had a respectable start to her rookie season, but her form since the league’s resumption after the Olympic break has many touting her to get MVP votes. Shannon Sharpe is glad that the Indiana Fever star is living up to her billing and claimed that her incredible impact is reminiscent of LeBron James.
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On Monday’s episode of First Take, the analyst drew parallels between the hype around Clark and the four-time MVP before their rookie seasons. He noted that the WNBA star was under immense pressure to help her team go from basement-dweller to playoff contenders while also contributing significantly to the growth of women’s basketball.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer claimed that Clark’s stats, the Fever’s record, and the WNBA’s record-breaking viewership and ticket sales prove she was worth the hype. Sharpe said,
“As far as box office, tell me the lady…She’s basically the LeBron James. The kinda hype that LeBron came into the NBA with, Caitlin Clark came to the WNBA with the same type of hype and she’s backed it up.”
"The kind of hype that LeBron came into the NBA with, Caitlin Clark came into the WNBA with the same kind of hype, and she backed it up."
—@shannonsharpe on Caitlin Clark's rookie season. pic.twitter.com/oAwjUTu9Ar
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 2, 2024
Sharpe addressed the critics’ opinion that Clark is being unfairly credited as the savior of women’s basketball when she’s the beneficiary of having a platform built by the greats of yesterday. He said,
“When Michael Jordan [was playing], nobody was talking about Connie Hawkins, nobody was talking about Wilt Chamberlain. Nobody was doing that. That’s what we’ve always done, we talk about the player that’s currently playing.”
He acknowledged that players like Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, Lisa Leslie, and more will always be respected for everything they did to help build the foundation the WNBA stands on. However, he believes that the Fever star is a one-of-a-kind athlete who’ll take the league to unprecedented heights like James did for the NBA.
While their paths aren’t exactly similar, there are plenty of similarities between the Lakers superstar’s and Clark’s rookie seasons.
LeBron James and Caitlin Clark’s identical debut campaigns
James came into the league straight from high school and was drafted first overall by a team that had finished with a losing record for five straight years. Clark spent four years in college before being picked #1 by a team that has finished under .500 for seven consecutive seasons.
Despite being touted as generational athletes, both had to hear their abilities being downplayed by the league’s veterans. For James, it was his teammates talking down on him, while WNBA icon Diana Taurasi wasn’t onboard the Caitlin Clark hype train.
However, both stars responded with exceptional performances on the court. James won the Rookie of the Year award in 2004 despite facing stiff competition from Carmelo Anthony. Clark is the favorite to win the coveted prize, even though Angel Reese is proving to be a hindrance in her quest to claim the prize.
