The WNBA was steadily trending up in popularity before Caitlin Clark entered the league, but since she debuted in 2024 with the Indiana Fever, that growth has gone into overdrive.
Clark’s rabid fanbase is at the center of the WNBA’s rise, and one of the pioneers of women’s basketball had a message for them.
“I think she’s quite an anomaly when it comes to how many eyeballs she’s bringing on the game — and new eyeballs,” South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley said during a Thursday, June 19, appearance on Kylie Kelce’s “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. “The newness of those eyeballs only want her to do well. Only want you to speak very highly of her, only want you to agree with what they agree with. And that’s kind of hard when we are critics to everyone who plays the game. It’s a part of the fabric of sports. That’s what we do.”
Staley, 55, coached against Clark, 23, twice while the phenom was at the University of Iowa, both times in the Final Four. While the three-time national champion heaped praise on Clark’s game, she also said that as a coach, it’s her job to find Clark’s weaknesses and exploit them.
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“You want to highlight Caitlin Clark for what she does well, but if you are her opponent, you want to zero in on the things she doesn’t do well,” Staley explained. “She’s a risk taker when it comes to passing the ball. She’ll turn the ball over some, and that’s a great thing if you’re her opposition.”
As a rookie, Clark shattered the single-season turnover record with 223, which came out to 5.6 per game. The previous record-holder, Alyssa Thomas, had just 145 in 2024, or 3.6 per game.
“No one plays the game perfectly. No one,” Staley said, including A’ja Wilson, the former Gamecock whom Staley called the best player in the world right now.
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“I tear her game apart. I criticize her,” Staley said of the Las Vegas Aces star, 28. “She’s gotten better with certain areas. I thought she could be a better rebounder. I thought she could be a better defender.”
But the talk wasn’t all negative — not even close. While Clark will fill the highlight reel with her 30-foot three-pointers that seemingly get more ridiculous with every make, Staley said it’s her passing that sets her apart.
“To me, the most dangerous thing [about] Caitlin Clark is her passing ability,” Staley said. “Her ability to make other people better and her ability to have other people’s production, along with her production. That’s how you win. If you can get somebody to produce along with her.”
This season, Clark is averaging 21.3 points and 8.7 assists per game. The Fever are 4-2 in games she’s played.
