“Illuminati, secret handshakes…make it work!” WNBA ripped for not giving Caitlin Clark the Messi and Beckham treatment

Caitlin Clark will play seven out of her first nine games in the WNBA against championship contenders.

“Illuminati, secret handshakes…make it work!” WNBA ripped for not giving Caitlin Clark the Messi and Beckham treatment

Colin Cowherd believes the WNBA should have given Caitlin Clark the same treatment Lionel Messi and David Beckham received

After a tremendous college season, Caitlin Clark was the biggest name in the sporting world coming into the WNBA Draft. Everyone hoped for the young superstar to light up the league. However, her first two games have shown otherwise, averaging half of her college scoring average. This prompted famed analyst Colin Cowherd to quote the examples of Lionel Messi and David Beckham.

Lionel Messi and David Beckham, two of the most decorated athletes in the world, arrived in the US at the latter end of their careers. However, Cowherd believes rookie Caitlin Clark should have been given a similar treatment.

28th year of the WNBA. They've never had a player, either good enough or interesting enough, to drive marketing revenue and TV ratings, so that the entire league can fly private. Don't put Caitlin Clark up in the 1st 4 games against New York twice and Connecticut twice, the best defensive teams. The MLS, they made sure Beckham got to Los Angeles. The MLS has a salary cap, Messi makes more than all but 4 teams. I'm not sure it's the Illuminati, secret handshakes, smoke filled rooms, make it work.
Colin Cowherd said via ‘The Herd’

The analyst suggested that the WNBA should have given her a lighter schedule. That would have helped to acclimatize faster.

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Colin Cowherd gave another example of how the NFL schedules to help star rookies or big-name coaches in different programs to beat poorer teams at the beginning of the season. That helps to build confidence so that they only play against the top teams in later weeks.

He suggested that since all the transformative changes are happening as Clark came into the league, she should be given the superstar treatment. An easier schedule would have been perfect to start with. Instead, her first month in the league happens to be the toughest stretch for her and her team.

Caitlin Clark has a young Indiana Fever team to grow with

In most cases, a young superstar rookie often comes into a team having one or two free-agent stars who are on their last legs. When those aging stars transition out of the league, they have already taken out years of good basketball from that young star, who again has to team up with other stars just to win games and titles. Something a certain LeBron James had to face early in his career.

But Caitlin Clark has an advantage in her hands, which will pay dividends in the long run. She is surrounded by a young core. Except for Erica Wheeler and a couple of others, the oldest player of the new young core is Kelsey Mitchell at 28. A superstar guard who can get buckets. Free agent signing and a rising star Katie Lou Samuelson is the next oldest at 26. Aliyah Boston, NaLyssa Smith, Grace Berger, Lexie Hull, and fellow 2024 draftee Celeste Taylor are all 24 or younger.

The only other team in the league that developed a young core together is the Las Vegas Aces. A team who are heavily favored to do a historic three-peat. Therefore, the future is bright if this team can develop together.

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