Ex-Denver Nuggets Coach George Karl Makes Bold Caitlin Clark Comparison

George Karl compared WNBA star Caitlin Clark to an NBA legend.
Apr 10, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl speaks to the media before the game against the San Antonio Spurs  at the Pepsi Center.  Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-Imagn Images
Apr 10, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl speaks to the media before the game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-Imagn Images / Chris Humphreys-Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark has been one of the most popular players in all of basketball over the last few seasons.

After finishing her legendary college career at Iowa earlier this year, she was the first pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever.

Clark ended the regular season with averages of 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.3 steals per contest while shooting 41.7% from the field and 34.4% from the three-point range.

Caitlin Clark
Team WNBA guard Caitlin Clark (22) smiles on the court during the WNBA All-Star Game at Footprint Center in Phoenix on July 20, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

On Friday, AP Sports writer Tim Reynolds posted an astonishing stat about Clark's impact on WNBA attendance.

Via Reynolds: "WNBA attendance this season ...

Average, Fever games: 16,084.
Average, non-Fever games: 8,552.
(That's an 88% difference. That's Caitlinmania.)

Here's a breakdown of what teams averaged at home in Caitlin games and non-Caitlin games:"

One person who reacted to the post was former NBA coach George Karl.

He made a bold comparison.

Karl wrote: "Caitlin Clark may be the Julius Erving of the WNBA. He had that impact on the ABA then NBA!"

Erving is one of the best 50 NBA players of all time despite spending the first five seasons of his career in the ABA.

He made the All-Star Game every year he was in the ABA and NBA (16 seasons).

ABA
Unknown Date & Location, USA; FILE PHOTO; New York Nets forward JULIUS ERVING in action while the Nets were members of the ABA (American Basketball Association). The Nets later became part of the NBA after the ABA's final season in 1976. Erving won three ABA most valuable player awards. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images (c) Copyright Malcolm Emmons / Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

As for Clark and the Fever, they finished the season as the sixth seed in the WNBA with a 20-20 record.

They will play the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the playoffs.

Game 1 of the series will be on Sunday in Connecticut.


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Ben Stinar
BEN STINAR

Ben Stinar is the NBA reporter for Fastbreak on FanNation.