Caitlin Clark Phenomenon

[shrek2]

CC drew large audiences including myself to the WNBA. It gave me an interest in the GS Valkyries which is on local channels near me. I thought they had a lousy team with no names but they actually battle winnning their last two against the LV Aces and LA Sparks. They actually have a higher attendance at 19K than the Indiana Fever. I looked at the coach, Natali Nakase. I wondered how she got there and looked her up. She actually is 5'2, grew up in California and walked on to UCLA despite having a full scholarship to UC Irvine. As a walkon, she made first team for three years before moving on. Quite a story.

[shrek2]

I watched a little bit of the Fever/Liberty game but then after seeing so much of CC, I thought she really is a whiner. She is so much of a distraction, she destroys the game. I couldn't watch the end; lost interest. Then there was the Valkyries/Storm and there was no complaining, no whining and so much better. The CC phenomenon is over. Just another jock.

[Walkoff Balk]

Caitlin Clark doesn't get the "Jordan Rules" favorable refs calls yet. So, she has to do the Luka, LeBron, or the finger twirl after every play.

[Walkoff Balk]

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/wnba ... me-vs-sun/

https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2025/04/14/ ... st-levels/

I hope that former UH Wahine basketball player Maj Forsberg isn't part of the bad WNBA refs.

[cabanalane]

I only watch or care or read on WNBA only because of CC. TBH, I'm not exactly a fan of women's basketball or a fan of hers.

WNBA need to protect the golden goose. CC is good for the game and can take the viewership to the next level. The WNBA need to understand that. More so, she got skills.

I see her on the likes of LBJ, Kobe, and Jordan. They can change the game, and WNBA need to let her rise to the top like what others called "Jordan Rules." Is it fair? I don't know. But it's good for WNBA. Yes, there is the sports side, but the marketing side has so much upside.

It's a small window of opportunity, even smaller for women. WNBA needs to put "everything" aside, as there may not be another player like CC.

If she leaves, play elsewhere, WNBA should just close shop.

[EITSwarrior]

It's a shame some of CC's peers in women's basketball, current and former players, don't like her. I said some not all just to be clear. Aside from the natural competitive dislike one would expect, honestly some of the dislike reeks of jealousy and I hate using this term broadly but I just don't see how it's not a factor...... I see some racial aspects in play.
The WNBA needs to up their officiating. I don't like to say they need to protect CC, but they can't let these cheap shots go on not fairly called and not consistent from game to game, from team to team and from player to player.

[808]

I only watch or care or read on WNBA only because of CC. TBH, I'm not exactly a fan of women's basketball or a fan of hers.

WNBA need to protect the golden goose. CC is good for the game and can take the viewership to the next level. The WNBA need to understand that. More so, she got skills.

I see her on the likes of LBJ, Kobe, and Jordan. They can change the game, and WNBA need to let her rise to the top like what others called "Jordan Rules." Is it fair? I don't know. But it's good for WNBA. Yes, there is the sports side, but the marketing side has so much upside.

It's a small window of opportunity, even smaller for women. WNBA needs to put "everything" aside, as there may not be another player like CC.

If she leaves, play elsewhere, WNBA should just close shop.

I'd actually go back even further and compare her entry into the WNBA with Magic and Bird entering the NBA in 1979. They changed the game immensely. Before they entered, the league was dying but they brought talent and a team-oriented style of play and the NBA made a resurgence. I don't recall any resistance by players back then to their entry into the league. Pretty small and short-sighted if the women are letting petty jealousy foster resentment to Clark. Before her, very few people even cared about the WNBA.

[cabanalane]

I'd actually go back even further and compare her entry into the WNBA with Magic and Bird entering the NBA in 1979. They changed the game immensely. Before they entered, the league was dying but they brought talent and a team-oriented style of play and the NBA made a resurgence. I don't recall any resistance by players back then to their entry into the league. Pretty small and short-sighted if the women are letting petty jealousy foster resentment to Clark. Before her, very few people even cared about the WNBA.

Everyone knows this, except the people who run WNBA.

On that note, is the WNBA run by former WNBA players? Maybe got their own ego or legacy to protect? Or run by mangers or leader (CEO) type of people?

Both David Stern or Adam Silver does not look like "ballers." But they are great business people we can say.

[shrek2]

The Valkyries beat the Fever last night which should have been great because they're only a .500 team but Brandin Podziemski, an NBA guard for the GS Warriors, had to make a fool of himself at the game in what looked like an attempt to harass CC. The Warriors ought to trade his butt. I also saw the Valkyries travel a couple of times but not called.
https://t.co/QZdtH3CDLA

[Walkoff Balk]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/st ... d4a7&ei=76

Stephen A. Smith thinks it's okay to cheap shot a player who trash talks.

[cabanalane]

I'll point it back at WNBA in that they create a monster, or monsters.

First, WNBA did "nothing" and I know that may be subjective. Now, I agree that CC is sort of an "instigator" at times, a drama queen. Sometimes acting over the top. Or let's call that "passion" for the game.

They learn that from the NBA players. A 6' 8" beast of a man (LBJ) goes flying with a simple touch. Ok, women are not as strong, ok.

A few players are just acting now, including Angel Reese, in that altercation with CC.

I'm more of a fan (viewer) of WNBA today than the last two years, but there is a feeling that I may be turned off by all this other stuff.

[Walkoff Balk]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/ ... ngNewsSerp

Hey, eyes up here. She has a face for tv. It's like Jessica Alba cast as the Invisible Woman on "The Fantastic Four."

[cabanalane]

From your link, I had to look up the podcast on Joy Taylor. I disagree with her that Clark vs Reese is the female version of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. And that's ok.

But please, when you have pretty face, you can go far....if you clean up the f-word and other foul word choices. I'm all for cool, the streets, and keepin-it-real. But it gets to be hard to listen to (her).

[Walkoff Balk]

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/espn-a ... 45973.html

She didn't include the word "again." The word "Again" after Make America Great is a passive aggressive insult to the Americans when they think America wasn't great.

[shrek2]

I think that CC's PR team needs to help CC develop the image that will sell and take the pressure off of her. When she urges on the crowd to cheer when she makes a three pointer, I don't think that necessarily sells a better image of herself. It makes the game all about her. It was mentioned that Stephen Curry has some of his moves after he makes a 3 is choreographed like making a Home Alone face at Christmas to the cameras, etc. She needs to start pointing at teammates when they do something great, then getting the crowd to cheer, so it's not about her but about the Fever.