Caitlin Clark has been getting more credit than James Naismith for energizing women’s basketball and popularizing this current NCAA Tournament.
The 2024 Naismith Player of the Year winner has all of the accolades. She’s the all-time scoring leader and her assists numbers are ridiculous. She’s a lethal offensive weapon that befuddles opposing defenses with her uncanny ability to hit long distance bombs from any angle or spot on the court.
Of course, no matter how much we boost Clark and marvel at her individual abilities, basketball is a team sport and to be considered truly great you have to show an ability to elevate your teammates to the top of the mountain.
Breanna Stewart Says Caitlin Clark Needs NCAA Title To Be All-Time Great
Stewart says Clark can’t get a chair in her room of legends if the Iowa star doesn’t close the deal in the Final Four, starting Friday night with Page Beuchers and UConn, Stewart’s former team, who she led to four-straight titles and a win streak of 100 games that began in November of 2014 and lasted for over two years.
Stewart then came to the WNBA and became a two-time MVP, two-time WNBA Champion and Finals MVP and five-time All-Star selection.
Reporter Nicole Auerbach posed the question to Stewart: “Does Caitlin Clark need a championship to be considered one of the greats in women’s college basketball history.” Stewie responded, “Yes, she does.”
“I think so,” the NY Liberty star said, “because then you’re going to look 10 years back and see all of the records she’s broken and the points, but anybody knows that your goal when you play college basketball is to win a national championship. So, you need one.”
Brenna Stewart Won Four Straight National Championships With UConn
Breanna Stewart won four straight NCAA titles, Stewart played on UConn teams that were considerably more talented top-to-bottom than this current Iowa’s team, that one could argue has already been evaluated by Clark’s presence. Two Final Four appearances in a row with just one All-American is pretty impressive.
Clark is already established as one of the greats. The record books prove that. However, to elevate into the pantheon of Mount Rushmore college players usually requires a national title as a finishing touch.
WNBA Legends Will Be Gunning For Caitlin Clark
Stewart’s comments, more than anything, are a foreshadowing of what Clark will have to deal with when she enters the WNBA. Established stars who have had to accomplish the world and carry the women’s game on their backs around the world to get half the recognition will come at her with a vengeance every night. They definitely aren’t going to feed into the hype or shower Clark with any more praise than she already gets.
They will be looking for a weakness in her legacy or her game or anything else that renders her inferior and try to exploit it. Especially in the pros, where every advantage counts. Stewart went for the title count. Something she is known for, while also letting Clark know that when she gets to the league, she better get there with a ring. And be ready to start at the bottom again. Stewart, a white player, also proves that it’s not just Black girls hating on Clark because Ice Cube offered Clark the $5 million bag.
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