Will you ever watch Caitlin Clark play again?

[BobcatDel]

Posting this here rather than on BB thread.

I am one that is of the opinion that Clark should have stayed in the NCAA another year. My reasons centered around the fact she obviously is making over a $million on NIL or advertising contracts now so this isn’t a big money move. She is absolutely filling stadiums wherever she plays and ticket prices soar. From my perspective the NCAA women BB has risen to new heights and matching interest in the men’s event this year. Besides just herself, I think her on the court has brought other WBB stars to more prominence and awareness…she is just better for the game as a whole. She is such a model for her playing style to the next generation of young ladies watching her…. You see it in the signs, tee shirts and faces.

My personal example..I was at the football scrimmage last evening but before we left the house I had to be sure I had the game being recorded, I told the spouse I really wanted to get home in time to watch the game last night, we both agreed let’s stop and get a Papa Murphy pizza so we couldn’t go have a brewski after the scrimmage….we had to get home to watch Clark and Iowa face off against Bueckers and UCONN.

So I sit here today asking myself would I do that for any other game that didn’t have blue and gold competing? Will I do that for a Clark game in the WNBA next year? Will I ever seriously seek out a game with her playing in it again other than if she is a key cog on Team USA in the Olympics. I’m not sure I will ever watch her again after Sunday’s Championship game (excepting Olympics). I’m just not a follower of the WNBA….can her presence lift the WNBA…. I’m not sure.

For myself I’ll be probably following the Bueckers, Johnson, Watkins, Reese, or whoever is still around in the NCAA.

Tomorrow might indeed be the last time I get to watch Caitlin Clark play! Where are you at…are you going to follow her play in the WNBA?

[Cataholic]

Posting this here rather than on BB thread.

I am one that is of the opinion that Clark should have stayed in the NCAA another year. My reasons centered around the fact she obviously is making over a $million on NIL or advertising contracts now so this isn’t a big money move. She is absolutely filling stadiums wherever she plays and ticket prices soar. From my perspective the NCAA women BB has risen to new heights and matching interest in the men’s event this year. Besides just herself, I think her on the court has brought other WBB stars to more prominence and awareness…she is just better for the game as a whole. She is such a model for her playing style to the next generation of young ladies watching her…. You see it in the signs, tee shirts and faces.

My personal example..I was at the football scrimmage last evening but before we left the house I had to be sure I had the game being recorded, I told the spouse I really wanted to get home in time to watch the game last night, we both agreed let’s stop and get a Papa Murphy pizza so we couldn’t go have a brewski after the scrimmage….we had to get home to watch Clark and Iowa face off against Bueckers and UCONN.

So I sit here today asking myself would I do that for any other game that didn’t have blue and gold competing? Will I do that for a Clark game in the WNBA next year? Will I ever seriously seek out a game with her playing in it again other than if she is a key cog on Team USA in the Olympics. I’m not sure I will ever watch her again after Sunday’s Championship game (excepting Olympics). I’m just not a follower of the WNBA….can her presence lift the WNBA…. I’m not sure.

For myself I’ll be probably following the Bueckers, Johnson, Watkins, Reese, or whoever is still around in the NCAA.

Tomorrow might indeed be the last time I get to watch Caitlin Clark play! Where are you at…are you going to follow her play in the WNBA?

Great question. Count me as a Caitlin Clark fan that has evolved into an Iowa women’s team fan. Was telling the wife this morning that I know the Iowa team as well as the MSU women’s team. Amazing.

I wanted to watch both women’s games last night, but found my attention waning in the first game. It was good basketball based on fundamentals, but didn’t have the special player to keep you glued to the TV.

Clark’s performance in the next game was off the charts. Her shooting is obvious, but her passing is next level. Her understanding of the game is unbelievable. With almost 2 seconds left and her team up, they had to inbound the ball to seal the game. She recognizes that her defender is guarding the court with her back to her. Instead of forcing in the pass, she bounces the ball off the defenders back to start the clock. The ball rolls toward the baseline and instead of jumping in and grabbing the ball (causing a potential turnover because she wouldn’t have been inbounds yet), she let it roll out for another inbounds pass. It took valuable time off the clock allowing her team to just touch the ball on the next inbounds to expire the clock. You mentioned little girls learning from her, but every single basketball player could learn from her.

She has been offered $5 million to play in men’s 3 vs 3 league promoted by Ice Cube. I will definitely watch her play again. Not sure about women’s college basketball though. I will try to watch it more as the basketball is much closer to fundamental team basketball. The passing by the best teams is a real joy to watch. The cuts and back door passes are a thing of beauty and the skill of the girls has really bloomed since just 10 years ago. But not sure I will stay engaged with women’s college basketball unless another generational player emerges. I will definitely tune in though to watch Caitlyn, whether it is 3 vs 3 with the men, or the WNBA.

[Bobcat4Ever]

That’s a really good question. I thought I would follow some other good players as they moved to the WNBA, but no, I don’t think I’ve made it through a whole game with any of them. Caitlyn stands alone, but the WNBA is just a different world. I wish you well, Miss Clark, but now it’s time to cheer for MSU’s Katelynn again. Go, Cats!

[MSU01]

I'm happy that Clark decided to go the WNBA after this season, as if she had played a fifth season in college her records would have become so far out of reach that no player would ever have a chance of touching them in the future with only the normal four years of eligibility available. I love women's college basketball and watch a lot more of it than the men's game these days, but I've also never gotten into the WNBA. Basketball during the summer is just...weird. I'd love to see them move to a winter season like what is played at pretty much every other level of basketball. I don't think the spring pro football leagues will ever be successful for the same reason.

[Bobcat4Ever]

I’ve been thinking more about this since last night. I’ve become more and more of a WBB fan over the years, I think because I still enjoy the teams that play the “old” game of pinpoint passing, running plays, and finding good shots. By the way, that Iowa/UConn game was the game of the tournament. The teams were both good enough to challenge Caitlyn Clark and Paige Bueckers. They both rose to the challenge, but Caitlyn once again proved to be the player of the year. Her last two 3-balls were under duress and crazy good. But I enjoyed most of all the clips they showed how hard Caitlyn Clark was working without the ball — Nika Mühl was playing some great defense. (Clark reminded me of Danny Sprinkle). That was a clinic by Clark for younger players. Okay, since I now live in Nevada, I’m only a 90-minute drive from watching a live WNBA game. I think I would do that one time for a chance to see Clark play in person. Still pretty “meh” about the WNBA and TV, but maybe a live game would help.

[PapaG]

Possibly, but I won’t spend a Montana summer afternoon inside to do so. I’m somewhat interested in seeing how she plays with other good players because her Iowa teammates were pretty average to bad for top level. Their bench didn’t score a single point in the title game while South Carolina has about 40.

Reminded me almost the same as Larry Bird carrying Indiana State playing with a bunch of otherwise lunchpail guys.

[MSU01]

Possibly, but I won’t spend a Montana summer afternoon inside to do so. I’m somewhat interested in seeing how she plays with other good players because her Iowa teammates were pretty average to bad for top level. Their bench didn’t score a single point in the title game while South Carolina has about 40.

Reminded me almost the same as Larry Bird carrying Indiana State playing with a bunch of otherwise lunchpail guys.

One team had the best player on the court but the other team had the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and likely all the way down to the 8th or 9th best player and that won out in the end. The bench point differential as well as the overall flow of the game reminded me a lot of the Big Sky championship this year, where UM got out to a big lead but MSU overwhelmed them in the second half with a far superior TEAM effort.

[Camo_Cat]

Posting this here rather than on BB thread.

I am one that is of the opinion that Clark should have stayed in the NCAA another year. My reasons centered around the fact she obviously is making over a $million on NIL or advertising contracts now so this isn’t a big money move. She is absolutely filling stadiums wherever she plays and ticket prices soar. From my perspective the NCAA women BB has risen to new heights and matching interest in the men’s event this year. Besides just herself, I think her on the court has brought other WBB stars to more prominence and awareness…she is just better for the game as a whole. She is such a model for her playing style to the next generation of young ladies watching her…. You see it in the signs, tee shirts and faces.

My personal example..I was at the football scrimmage last evening but before we left the house I had to be sure I had the game being recorded, I told the spouse I really wanted to get home in time to watch the game last night, we both agreed let’s stop and get a Papa Murphy pizza so we couldn’t go have a brewski after the scrimmage….we had to get home to watch Clark and Iowa face off against Bueckers and UCONN.

So I sit here today asking myself would I do that for any other game that didn’t have blue and gold competing? Will I do that for a Clark game in the WNBA next year? Will I ever seriously seek out a game with her playing in it again other than if she is a key cog on Team USA in the Olympics. I’m not sure I will ever watch her again after Sunday’s Championship game (excepting Olympics). I’m just not a follower of the WNBA….can her presence lift the WNBA…. I’m not sure.

For myself I’ll be probably following the Bueckers, Johnson, Watkins, Reese, or whoever is still around in the NCAA.

Tomorrow might indeed be the last time I get to watch Caitlin Clark play! Where are you at…are you going to follow her play in the WNBA?

No. I don't watch the NBA, let alone the WNBA.

[RickRund]

Posting this here rather than on BB thread.

I am one that is of the opinion that Clark should have stayed in the NCAA another year. My reasons centered around the fact she obviously is making over a $million on NIL or advertising contracts now so this isn’t a big money move. She is absolutely filling stadiums wherever she plays and ticket prices soar. From my perspective the NCAA women BB has risen to new heights and matching interest in the men’s event this year. Besides just herself, I think her on the court has brought other WBB stars to more prominence and awareness…she is just better for the game as a whole. She is such a model for her playing style to the next generation of young ladies watching her…. You see it in the signs, tee shirts and faces.

My personal example..I was at the football scrimmage last evening but before we left the house I had to be sure I had the game being recorded, I told the spouse I really wanted to get home in time to watch the game last night, we both agreed let’s stop and get a Papa Murphy pizza so we couldn’t go have a brewski after the scrimmage….we had to get home to watch Clark and Iowa face off against Bueckers and UCONN.

So I sit here today asking myself would I do that for any other game that didn’t have blue and gold competing? Will I do that for a Clark game in the WNBA next year? Will I ever seriously seek out a game with her playing in it again other than if she is a key cog on Team USA in the Olympics. I’m not sure I will ever watch her again after Sunday’s Championship game (excepting Olympics). I’m just not a follower of the WNBA….can her presence lift the WNBA…. I’m not sure.

For myself I’ll be probably following the Bueckers, Johnson, Watkins, Reese, or whoever is still around in the NCAA.

Tomorrow might indeed be the last time I get to watch Caitlin Clark play! Where are you at…are you going to follow her play in the WNBA?

No. I don't watch the NBA, let alone the WNBA.

Me also.

[Cataholic]

18.7 million for the Iowa - SC games. Most watched basketball game since 2019.

https://www.espn.com/womens-college-bas ... -game-2019

[MSU01]

18.7 million for the Iowa - SC games. Most watched basketball game since 2019.

https://www.espn.com/womens-college-bas ... -game-2019

The women's championship game this year averaged 4 million more viewers than the men's championship. That's absolutely crazy as a measure of how much impact Caitlin Clark has had on the women's game. Hopefully a lot of the fans who tuned into watch her also become fans of Dawn Staley and South Carolina, or Juju Watkins and USC, or Paige Bueckers of UConn and keep watching even after Clark is in the WNBA next year.

[Cats15]

I honestly done see any benefit to Caitlin for going to the WNBA. What am I missing??

[Cataholic]

I honestly done see any benefit to Caitlin for going to the WNBA. What am I missing??

The ultimate compliment may be to completely transition a sport to another level. How many people can say that they completely changed their sport forever? Clark has the potential to make the WNBA relevant. And I expect her endorsement deals off the court will be similar (if not more) to the leading NBA players. She hasn’t even been drafted yet and is already featured as a spokesman for State Farm alongside other NBA greats. I can’t wait to see her shoe deal and the crazy amount of numbers of little girls wearing her shoes.

[MSU01]

I honestly done see any benefit to Caitlin for going to the WNBA. What am I missing??

She has set all these records playing for 4 years like all of the players she passed did. I think it would tarnish her legacy if she were to stay for Year 5 and put those records so far out of reach that nobody would ever be able to touch them. Plus, it has to be a benefit to go pro and be able to just negotiate multiple massive endorsement deals instead of having to do through NIL.

[grizzh8r]

I honestly done see any benefit to Caitlin for going to the WNBA. What am I missing??

She has set all these records playing for 4 years like all of the players she passed did. I think it would tarnish her legacy if she were to stay for Year 5 and put those records so far out of reach that nobody would ever be able to touch them. Plus, it has to be a benefit to go pro and be able to just negotiate multiple massive endorsement deals instead of having to do through NIL.

Can't knock that logic.

[Cataholic]

The impact Clark will have on the WNBA financially will be interesting to watch. She was the top selling jersey of any draft pick ever on draft night - of any sport. She outsold every player’s jerseys sales on the Cowboys last season. $20 million shoe deal.

https://athlonsports.com/nba/caitlin-cl ... cs-history

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/dallas-cow ... fever-iowa

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/ ... m.amp.html

[MSU01]

The impact Clark will have on the WNBA financially will be interesting to watch. She was the top selling jersey of any draft pick ever on draft night - of any sport. She outsold every player’s jerseys sales on the Cowboys last season. $20 million shoe deal.

https://athlonsports.com/nba/caitlin-cl ... cs-history

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/dallas-cow ... fever-iowa

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/ ... m.amp.html

She'll sell out every arena she plays in this year. The questions of course are will it last if she isn't immediately a star player in the WNBA, and will her popularity carry over to games and TV broadcasts she isn't playing in.

[Bobcat4Ever]

I thought this was interesting, especially as I was thinking I would like to see her live one time in Las Vegas. Tickets may be hard to come by. The impact she is having on basketball is amazing, although Diana Taurasi thinks Clark will hit a brick wall in the WNBA. I suppose they’ll just try to pummel her lighter frame into hamburger.

Caitlin Clark WNBA anticipation forces Las Vegas Aces to move game with Indiana Fever to larger arena

https://247sports.com/article/caitlin-c ... 230228583/

[CatBot]

Yes