While Caitlin Clark’s logo threes have won many hearts, the former Iowa Hawkeyes guard is also a keen passer. In fact, she tallied eight or more assists in three straight seasons. In a sitdown with ESPN’s Holly Rowe, she talked about her passing abilities when Rowe asked which one of her understated skills “will translate to the next level”, i.e. the WNBA. Clark highlighted that her dime-dishing skills are going to be an automatic fit. She added that her court vision was taken for granted throughout her college career because of her Steph Curry-esque shooting adventures.
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“I think my passing and I think that’s like even the biggest thing throughout my college career. Everybody always fell in love with my shooting or scoring but I’ve always been somebody that has loved to pass the ball,” Caitlin Clark told Hally Rowe.
She then alluded to the jump in the talent level from college to WNBA. She expressed that her job as a floor manager will be easier considering more reliable scorers around her. Then, Rowe also asked the All-time NCAA leading scorer about the one thing people “underestimate” about her.
“I think my speed. I think I’m a little elusive at times. I’m not the fastest player out there but I’ve gotten pretty good at changing speed,” Clark replied.
Thus, for Clark, her agility and passing are often overshadowed by her shooting capabilities. As a 6’0” guard, she was a nightmarish cover for defenses in college. Even if they cut off her shooting angles, she was able to generate crisp passes. As a triple threat, the two-time NCAA finalist was difficult to predict, eclipsing various passing greats in the NCAAW.
Caitlin Clark’s ridiculous assists stats
During the 2023-24 NCAAW season, the eagle-eyed PG led all players including the Big Ten with 8.9 assists per game. The WNBA-bound guard finished her NCAA career with 1144 assists in 139 games, translating to 8.2 assists per game, per Sports Reference.
In terms of all-time NCAAW assists leaders, Clark ranks third behind Andrea Nagy and the table-topper Suzie McConnell. Therefore, it is natural that Clark possesses such confidence in her passing skills. As per the latest ESPN’ WNBA Mock Draft, the Indiana Fever will select her with their first pick.
The Fever has terrific rim-runner and low-post players in Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith. Both these frontline players will fit into Clark’s passing mold. Apart from that, surrounding her with floor-spreaders Lexie Hull and Grace Berger can benefit the Fever immensely. While her assists numbers may dip, her impact as a brilliant passer in transition and half-court situations can be seen immediately.
