Caitlin Clark Linked to Steph Curry and Michael Jordan With Staggering Rookie Stat
It didn't take Caitlin Clark long to become one of the WNBA's most electric and compelling players.
The Indiana Fever's 22-year-old rookie sensation is leading the WNBA in assists per game, with 8.3. She is also 12th in the league in points per game (17.6) and appears to be improving her already elite skillset with each contest. Her commanding presence on offense has helped turn the Fever's season around, with them amassing a 12-15 record heading into Sunday's game against the Seattle Storm after Indiana started the season 1-8.
Clark looked refreshed and fantastic in the Fever's first game back after the WNBA's month-long pause for the Paris Olympics. She scored 29 points, tallied 10 assists, and secured 5 rebounds in Indiana's 98-89 win over the phoenix Mercury on Friday.
And in doing so, Clark cemented her place alongside two NBA greats.
An August 17 X post noted that three rookies in NBA/WNBA History have recorded 29 Points, 5 Rebounds, and 10 Assists on 70% TS, multiple times.
Those rookies are Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, and Caitlin Clark.
There are 3 rookies in NBA/WNBA History who have recorded 29 Points, 5 Rebounds and 10 Assists on 70% TS, multiple times:
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) August 18, 2024
Michael Jordan
Stephen Curry
Caitlin Clark
(h/t @WarriorsMuse) pic.twitter.com/BvmXGcs8UA
For those who don't know, TS stands for True Shooting percentage, which is an advanced statistic that takes into account a player's two- and three-point field goals and free throws in measuring how efficiently a player shoots the ball.
This is not the first time Clark has been compared to Curry or Jordan. Fans often equate Clark's extraordinary sharpshooting ability to Curry, who is undoubtedly the greatest three-point shooter in basketball history.
And Clark also gets compared to Jordan for how her fame and popularity have helped grow the sport of women's basketball; similar to what Jordan did with the men's game.
Clark will likely receive more comparisons to these two basketball greats as her professional career progresses.
GRANT YOUNG
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.