2024 WNBA No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark has already taken the league by storm. The former Iowa Hawkeyes star played her first preseason game against the Dallas Wings before a road sellout crowd. Clark didn’t disappoint, scoring 21 points, dishing out four assists and grabbing three rebounds. The long-range sniper also knocked in five threes, including a few of the logo variety that she’s become known for.
She followed that up with another solid preseason performance in her home debut Thursday night. In an 83-80 win Clark showed her full repertoire of skills, scoring 12 points and adding six assists and eight rebounds, albeit while going just 4-for-12 from the field and 2 of 9 on three-pointers.
As she consistently did in her collegiate career, Clark proved she could do other things besides score. The hype surrounding Clark’s arrival to the league has been met with plenty of smiles and cheers, but she’s also had her share of detractors who are over the hype.
Becky Hammon Takes Subtle Jab At Clark
WNBA legend Diana Taurasi, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve and even Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner have all said things that let you know they’re tired of hearing about Clark.
That’s expected, because she hasn’t proved herself in a regular season game against dug-in defense and schemes designed to slow her down.
The latest to seemingly take a bit of a jab at Clark is reigning back-to-back championship-winning coach Becky Hammon of the Las Vegas Aces.
Hammon, who herself was a long-range sniper in her playing days, finishing fourth all time in three-point makes with 829, recently told reporters this about her team:
“We got some people that can shoot logo threes too.”
That’s in reference to her three-headed monster in the backcourt with Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, all who are more than capable of hitting bombs from the logo.
While her remarks weren’t as direct as those the aforementioned Taurasi, Reeve and even Griner spewed, they definitely were aimed at Clark.
Hammon Does Credit Clark For Helping Exposure And Visibility
As Hammon prepares her team to defend their back-to-back titles, she’s also making the rounds. The Rapid City, South Dakota, native was recently the guest speaker at the Experience Sioux Falls annual banquet, and there the former WNBA sharpshooter discussed Clark and the league as a whole.
“They just get to see them exposed to more things, and I think the more eyes that are watching the more appreciation we will have,” Hammon said. “I think we’re more open-minded to greatness in whatever form it comes in and I think Caitlin Clark is a great example of greatness. People like watching history being made, and she made a lot of it this year for all of us. She was super fun to watch.”
Nice words spoken about Clark by Hammon after letting everyone knows that she’s got shooters capable of hitting logo threes. But, again, she only felt the need to say that because of Clark and her prowess to do so. That says a lot about the effect the former Iowa Hawkeyes legend is already having on the league and her peers.
