ESPN dubs Iowa’s Caitlin Clark next generational WNBA draft prospect
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Names like Ken Griffey Jr. for the Seattle Mariners in Major League Baseball, LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA, or Andrew Luck to the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL.
What do they all have in common? They were generational, can’t-miss talents coming out of college or high school.
That’s just to name a few, too. ESPN just took a look at the most-hyped draft prospects since 1979 across MLB, the NBA, the NFL, the NHL and the WNBA.
In doing so, it also got ESPN wondering: Who are the next can’t-miss, generational talents in all of the major sports?
Naturally, Iowa Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark was one of the two names selected by ESPN’s M.A. Voepel as the next can’t-miss, generational WNBA talent.
While Clark will be eligible for the 2024 WNBA draft, the West Des Moines product told Dan Patrick back in February that she was mulling spending each of the next two years in Iowa City.
Hawkeye fans certainly hope that’s the case. Whether it’s in the 2024 WNBA draft or the 2025 WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark is sure to come off the board first.
Let’s take a look at what ESPN had to say about Clark as a can’t-miss draft prospect.
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
This goes without saying if you’re a fan of women’s college basketball or the Iowa Hawkeyes, but Clark’s basketball prowess and superstardom is next level. Simply put, Clark is doing things on the basketball court that we’ve never seen done before.
Clark swept the national player of the year awards in 2023 and led Iowa to its first NCAA final. She’s the most lethal offensive player in the women’s college game, as she’s equally effective as a scorer and a passer. She has the ball the majority of the time, and former WNBA point guard Ticha Penicheiro said of Clark, “She’s the best decision-maker on the court.”
Clark not only led the nation in 3-pointers made, but she’s known for shooting them from way downtown. The further out she shoots, the more she forces defenders to pick her up near half court. Clark’s consecutive 41-point games in the Elite Eight — she recorded a triple-double in the win over Louisville — and national semifinals were two of the best back-to-back performances ever in the NCAA tournament.
Clark was the most exciting player to watch in March Madness. Although she will be a senior, she has an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 waiver. So it’s possible we won’t see her as a WNBA player until the 2025 season. – Voepel, ESPN.
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It doesn’t get talked about nearly enough, but Clark is more than just a lights-out shooter. She can really distribute the rock as well. Her former running mate Monika Czinano would attest to that. ESPN agrees.
Stat to know:
She led Division I in assists (8.6) and 3-pointers per game (3.68) and she was second in scoring (27.8 PPG) in 2022; no other Division I player…
Read More: ESPN dubs Iowa’s Caitlin Clark next generational WNBA draft prospect 2023-07-21 21:55:00