Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has more than lived up to the hype in her rookie WNBA season. Selected as the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark entered the league with enormous expectations and has not only met but exceeded them in numerous ways.
Although Indiana’s recent game against the Minnesota Lynx ended in a loss, snapping their two-game winning streak, Clark delivered another stellar performance. She finished the game with 23 points, eight assists, and five rebounds, further enhancing her already historic season averages. Clark’s latest achievement is becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 500 points and 200 assists, a milestone she added during this game.
Caitlin Clark is the fastest player in WNBA history to record 500+ PTS & 200+ AST.
Also the first rookie to reach those numbers. pic.twitter.com/XIuc5RVgHa
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) August 25, 2024
However, Clark’s exceptional performance has not shielded her from criticism. On a recent episode of Gil’s Arena, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas made a highly controversial statement, arguing that UConn guard Paige Bueckers is a better player than Clark. Arenas questioned what the Indiana Fever would have done if Bueckers had been eligible for the 2024 WNBA Draft, sparking a debate among his co-hosts. Despite unanimous agreement from his co-hosts that the Fever would have still chosen Clark, Arenas remained unconvinced.
“Because of the hype?” Arenas asked skeptically when his co-hosts insisted that Clark would have still been the top pick. When they reaffirmed that Clark is indeed the better player, Arenas retorted, “No she’s not. A better player?”
While Bueckers is undeniably a phenomenal talent, coming off a collegiate season where she amassed numerous accolades, Arenas’ statement is particularly controversial given Clark’s groundbreaking performance in the WNBA. Even considering only the 2023-24 collegiate season, Clark’s historic numbers would likely have made her the undisputed first overall pick, even if Bueckers had been in the draft pool.
The moment Caitlin Clark broke the NCAA DI women’s basketball all-time scoring record. 👏 @IowaWBB | @bigten pic.twitter.com/f2t7ISYjyA
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) February 16, 2024
Arenas, who played 11 years in the NBA and was a three-time All-Star and All-NBA selection, concluded his professional basketball career with the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2011-12 season. His bold statement about Clark has sparked significant debate in basketball circles, especially given her record-breaking rookie season in the WNBA.
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