The Greatness of Caitlin Clark

Remember when Caitlin Clark was going to have trouble adjusting to the WNBA and was the beneficiary of various “privileges” (white privilege, pretty privilege, etc.)?

Well, the adjustment period has emphatically ended, and she is clearly benefiting from exceptional-talent privilege.

Since the all-star break, Clark and her team, the Indiana Fever, have been on an incredible run. She’s eighth in points-per-game in the league and first in assists-per-game, but that doesn’t fully capture what she’s achieving.

Clark has the most assists ever for a rookie, and is closing in on the overall record for most assists in a season. She has the record for most three-pointers for a rookie, and is also closing in on the overall record for most three-pointers in a season. Notice a pattern?

She is the fastest to 100 three-pointers in WNBA history. She holds the record for most points/assists double-doubles in a season. She holds the record for most games with 20-plus points, five-plus assists, and five-plus rebounds in a season. She’s the only rookie ever with a double-triple — and she’s done it twice.

She’s already closing in on career records:

Caitlin tied Sabrina Ionescu for most career games of 25+ points and 10+ assists in the Fever’s most recent win over the Atlanta Dream.

So with just one more 25 and 10 performance that career record is all hers. In her first season.

The most 20 point and 10 assist games for an entire career is within reach as well, and will belong to Clark either by the end of this year or early next.

All of that is why she will almost certainly finish the season with the highest average of points either scored or assisted on by any player ever.

On top of this, she’s an admirably fierce competitor and class act.

Here she is making a fade-away three:

Here she is making a long pass down court:

Here she is dropping a three and immediately getting a steal for a layup:

If you aren’t following her, you are missing one of the extraordinary sports stories in contemporary American life.