Caitlin Clark Is The Michael Jordan Of The WNBA
In November of 1991, Chicago Bulls writer Sam Smith published a book titled The Jordan Rules. While the book followed Michael Jordan and the team during their 1990-91 championship run, the title was derived from the strategy employed by the Detroit Pistons when they played against Jordan.
Pistons head coach Chuck Daly, who also coached Jordan on the 1992 Olympic team, says in the book, "The other rule was, any time he went by you, you had to nail him. We didn't want to be dirty—I know some people thought we were—we had to make contact and be very physical." More than 30 years later, the face of a different basketball league is playing against similar rules.
It's Not Strategy, It's Personal
Unlike the tactics employed by the "Bad Boys" in the late '80s and early '90s, the physicality imposed on Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark is not strategic but retaliation out of jealousy. She is not overpowering teams with never-seen-before athleticism. Clark is just trying to get through her first season in the WNBA, and opponents and teammates want her to feel every minute of it.
Clark has been mauled by opposing teams and is frequently blindsided by hard screens. The most recent display of unnecessary abuse was courtesy of Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter. When the teams faced off on June 1st, Carter intentionally slammed her body into Clark away from the ball, in what Clark aptly described as "Not a basketball play."
Another difference from what Jordan went through is that, unlike MJ, Caitlin's teammates are not protecting her from the tough love. The WNBA's top pick is being targeted, and her teammates seem completely fine with that. The league also seems unwilling to step in and protect their golden goose, despite Clark almost single-handedly drawing crowds and viewers to games that people might otherwise ignore.
Green Looks Ugly On You, Ladies
One would think that everybody in the WNBA would roll out the red carpet for Clark. The players have been clamoring for more attention and more money for years. Now attendance is up, profit actually exists for a change, and there is already talk about expansion and raises. This is not a coincidence. It's the Caitlin Clark effect.
In the same way that Tiger Woods raised PGA viewership, which raised ticket sales, TV viewership, and tournament purses, Clark has essentially been a savior for women's basketball. The women in the league should be celebrating her arrival, but instead, they can't help but display their jealousy for the world to see. Instead of embracing Caitlin Clark, they are hell-bent on destroying her.
League Veteran Diana Taurasi put her two cents in before Clark had played a game. "Reality is coming," she said. "You look superhuman playing 18-year-olds, but you're going to come with some grown women who've been playing professional basketball for a long time."
Angel Reese, who plays for the Sky, also had some thoughts about Caitlin-mania. "The Growth of women's basketball is because of me too." League stars and rookies try to mention Clark as often as possible to attach their names to her shooting star, then act like she's the one riding shotgun. Reese is a promising young rookie, but to think fans watched the Sky-Fever game equally for her and Clark is to think fans watched the Wizards-Spurs game because they were equally interested in seeing Victor Wembenyama and Bilal Coulibaly.
When the dust settled and the confetti stopped raining on his career, it was Michael Jordan, not the Detroit Pistons, who had the last laugh. Expect Caitlin Clark to follow in the footsteps left by his iconic shoes. She will be laughing her way to the Hall of Fame, with a younger generation of players thanking her for paving their road to fame and riches.
EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS:
Order your favorite whiskey or spirit for the big game right to your doorstep and use code STADIUMRANT10 for a 10% discount at Caskers
Use code STADIUMRANT20 for a 20% discount at Bulletproof Coffee, SwingJuice and Performix.
If you love to shotgun beers, use code STADIUMRANT10 at Wild Man Drinking Company.
MORE FROM STADIUM RANT:
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!