While nobody can deny Caitlin Clark's greatness at the collegiate level, there's some disagreement among WNBA legends about whether Clark can sustain that greatness once she turns pro.
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Earlier this month, Sheryl Swoopes received a lot of backlash — including from Clark's own boyfriend — for claiming that she didn't believe Clark would be a major difference maker as soon as she enters the WNBA.
Although not all WNBA icons share Swoopes' sentiment.
In an interview on the "Sports Media Podcast" with Richard Deitsch that is being aired on Thursday, WNBA legend Sue Bird said that she believes Clark can be a WNBA All-Star in her first year.
"I think if she plays up to her potential, yes, [becoming an All Star next season] is realistic," Bird said. "And, by the way, that's not a knock on anyone in the WNBA. It's going to be hard, but I think she can do it."
Bird did add that the WNBA is a completely different game than college, saying, "You do have to see what happens when they get there. You are now playing against adults and this is their career.
"But I do think she has a chance at having a lot of success early," Bird said, "and I think a lot of it comes down to her long-distance shooting. That is her separator. You're not really used to guarding people out there."
That last point is perhaps the most important. While Clark became the NCAA's all time leading female scorer due to a well-rounded scoring skillset, there's no question that her three-point shooting is what separates her from her peers.
Long-range shooting appears to be the one aspect of a scorer's arsenal that is sure to translate at the next level. Even if Clark was relegated to being a shot-up shooter in the WNBA for some reason, she could still score between 15-20 points per game.
We already knew that Bird was a big fan of Clark; proven by her attending an Iowa game alongside Jason Sudeikis at the end of last year.
Perhaps we can expect to see the four-time WNBA champion, five-time Olympic gold medalist, and 13-time WNBA All-Star sitting courtside at Indiana Fever games next season — if, that is, Clark decides to go pro in 2024.
