Bill Simmons makes outrageous comparison between Caitlin Clark and NBA stars

Bill Simmons made a bold claim, stating that WNBA star Caitlin Clark's impact is greater than that of the NBA players.

Bill Simmons makes outrageous comparison between Caitlin Clark and NBA stars

Bill Simmons makes bold claim about Caitlin Clark's impact being greater than NBA players.

In a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, host Bill Simmons stirred up debate surrounding Caitlin Clark, the WNBA’s rising star. He claimed that the rookie sensation has surpassed all NBA players under 30 in terms of cultural and basketball impact.

Simmons lauded Caitlin Clark’s groundbreaking rookie season with the Indiana Fever and credited her with elevating women’s basketball’s visibility. Her remarkable rookie campaign has captivated basketball fans across the world.

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The 22-year-old guard averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 41.7% from the field and 34.4% from beyond the arc. Simmons addressed the immediate success and fanfare that Clark has achieved in the WNBA, addressing her impact being greater than that of NBA players.

I don’t even think that’s a debate. I literally did not care about women’s college basketball 10 years ago in any way, shape, or form. So I think some things have moved toward just the quality of play is more fun to watch, but she seems to be some sort of catalyst that is just, it’s like before and after, and now we’re in the after.

Bill Simmons said

Clark’s all-around performance earned her WNBA Rookie of the Year honors and a spot on the All-WNBA First Team. Her rookie season coincided with record-breaking viewership for the WNBA, with the Indiana Fever becoming the league’s most-watched team, averaging 1.19 million viewers per game.

Clark herself was the focal point, as her games surpassed one million viewers 19 times, an unprecedented feat in the league’s history. These numbers starkly contrast with the league-wide average of 394,000 viewers, highlighting her star power.

Simmons revealed that her cultural impact in just her rookie year has far surpassed any NBA star under the age of 30. His bold claim suggests that he feels Clark’s stardom far surpasses NBA stars like Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, and even league MVPs Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Angel Reese Reveals True Thoughts on Caitlin Clark

Adding to the conversation around Caitlin Clark’s rise to fame is Angel Reese, her fellow rookie star who has played a role in jumpstarting the popularity of women’s basketball and is Clark’s on-court rival. In a recent appearance on the 360 with Speedy Morman podcast, Reese opened up about her long-standing competitive relationship with Clark, which dates back to their AAU days in middle school.

It’s been competition since college. We’ve been playing against each other since eighth or ninth grade… People don’t realize the legacy of us competing for so long… At the end of the day, we’re humans. You guys watch us, but it’s just basketball. I promise you, it’s just basketball. I don’t have any hard feelings towards her, and she doesn’t towards me.

Angel Reese said

Reese addressed the media’s portrayal of their rivalry, emphasizing that it is rooted in mutual respect and experiences rather than animosity. Her comments were directed at the public and how it often misconstrues competitive relationships between athletes in sports.

Instead, Reese spoke about the significance of her and Caitlin Clark’s shared journey in raising the profile of women’s basketball to the high point it currently stands at.