Former NBA champion turned analyst Kendrick Perkins joined ESPN’s WNBA Today show. During the show, Perkins was asked about Caitlin Clark and the sensational rookie season she has been having so far. The former Celtics center not only praised the Fever rookie but also drew comparisons between Clark and LeBron James.
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Clark had a tough start initially when she came into the league. Opposing players playing with excessive physicality were seen as the league sending her a message. However, CC has since then gotten into the groove of things, and since the Olympic break, she’s turned things onto a whole new level.
Perkins pointed out how comfortable she’s gotten. Being the point guard for her team, Clark has a tad more responsibilities than others. But according to Perk, she has been putting in the work and it is now on full display.
The player-turned-analyst also pointed out a few more factors. One of them is her outstanding performance that has been breaking records and how she has been leading her team to the postseason, all in her rookie year.
One more thing Perk couldn’t help but state was the comparison he drew between Clark and LBJ.
“She is right now standing on business. If I had to evaluate her season right now and give a fair evaluation, I would say, she has lived up to the expectations. Right? I look at her the way I look at LeBron James.”
Perk further added, “The hype that she had, the expectations she had to live up to. Packing out arenas on a day-to-day basis, a lot of people out there waiting to see her fail and still keeping her composure as a rookie and leading this team has been a beautiful thing to see.”
Perkins did make a strong case for Clark being compared to one of the most hyped prospects in the NBA. James was touted as ‘The Chosen One’ out of high school, and the veteran star has lived up to the hype ever since.
The Caitlin Clark effect
Clark has been a pivotal part of the Fever’s success this year. Right in her rookie season, Caitlin has been making waves in the WNBA and has helped the Fever qualify for their first playoffs since 2016. CC has already broken the all-time rookie scoring record, and the all-time WNBA single-season assists record. She has also drained most threes by a rookie in WNBA history.
Apart from the records she has broken and the new standard she has set, Clark has also helped the WNBA in viewership. Fans have been filling out arenas to see CC’s long-range shooting and basketball IQ at work.
According to Marca, Clark’s last game against the Las Vegas Aces drew 678,000 viewers. This became the most-watched WNBA game in the history of NBATV. But apart from that, the WNBA has only Clark to thank for the boost in viewership. And it looks like it’ll continue to increase with the rise in her popularity.
