Lisa Leslie refutes notion about Caitlin Clark needing an NCAA title to be considered GOAT of college basketball

Lisa Leslie firmly believes that the lack of an NCAA tournament win does not rule Caitlin Clark out of contention for women's basketball GOAT.

Lisa Leslie refutes notion about Caitlin Clark needing an NCAA title to be considered GOAT of college basketball

Lisa Leslie, Caitlin Clark (Images via Instagram)

Women’s basketball shot to prominence during March Madness two years ago when Caitlin Clark led the Iowa Hawkeyes on a Cinderella run to the NCAA tournament final. Clark became the only player (man or woman) to record a triple-double in tournament play during Iowa’s Elite Eight win over Louisville. She would go on to lead the Hawkeyes to a win over South Carolina in the Final Four, halting their undefeated season.

However, things truly began changing for the earnest after Angel Reese taunted Clark as the clock wound down on LSU’s blowout win in the final against the Hawkeyes. The moment would draw millions of new eyeballs to women’s basketball at both the college and pro level. These new eyeballs were treated to another National Player of the Year season by Caitlin Clark in 2023-24. The college basketball season would end with Clark reaching another tournament final, but losing again to the Gamecocks.

Since Clark’s ascendance to the WNBA following four redoubtable seasons at Iowa, the point guard has been debated across all sports networks. Her place in women’s college basketball history has become a hot topic of contention with March Madness returning this year. A lot of people appreciate Clark’s impact on the game and her undeniable numbers, but question whether she can be argued as the greatest women’s college basketball player in history.

Lisa Leslie, who became the first WNBA player to dunk in a game, has been closely associated with the rise of basketball on the women’s side throughout her time as a player and later in retirement. She was recently interviewed by USA Today, and was asked her opinion on whether the lack of a tournament win affects Clark’s candidature as the NCAA GOAT. Leslie was categorical in answering in the negative, providing some solid reasoning for her stance.

Absolutely not. I didn’t win an NCAA championship. I was National Player of the Year, I won all of the individual awards. But sometimes, it’s very hard to win a national championship, regardless of how much people talk about it. It is very hard to do in a tournament, when you have so many games and you’re trying to get there. Shoutout to all of the players who were able to win national championships, but it doesn’t make a player who didn’t win a national championship any less of an amazing individual player and the possibility to be in the talk for being the GOAT for sure.

Lisa Leslie answered

What is Caitlin Clark’s legacy in women’s basketball and the NCAA tournament?

Every sports league needs a breakthrough superstar to truly translate from a niche interest to one that engages with the masses. It seems that both college basketball and WNBA play have benefited immensely with the rise of Clark at Iowa. Her story itself is an inspiring one, and her individual play and ability to carry those Iowa Hawkeyes teams on her back will always remain the stuff of legends.

The numbers bear it out – Clark averaged 31.8 points and 10 assists per game during the Hawkeyes’ run in 2023. She followed that up with averages of 30 points and 8.7 assists per game the following year. Clark retired as the highest scorer in NCAA basketball history with 3951 points while also tallying a whopping 1144 assists at the same time. Clark’s 2024 March Madness final drew a whopping 18.7 million viewers – the highest for any basketball game since Covid.

Since her advent to the WNBA, the league has seen a whopping 150+% increase in viewership across all broadcasts. Teams are moving their games to NBA arenas to accommodate the hype and increased interest in women’s basketball. They have been able to move from commercial flights to chartered flights and many teams are now able to move towards profitability while also investing in player amenities. It’s no exaggeration to say that Clark has changed basketball forever.