The WNBA was already picking up steam before Caitlin Clark came onto the scene, but ever since she made her debut in 2024 with the Indiana Fever, that growth has absolutely exploded. She’s brought a whole new wave of fans with her, and the buzz around her is showing no signs of slowing down.
But not everyone is completely swept away. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley had a few things to say about the Caitlin Clark effect, especially the fans who expect nothing but glowing praise.
“I think she’s quite an anomaly when it comes to how many eyeballs she’s bringing on the game — and new eyeballs,” Staley said on the Not Gonna Lie podcast with Kylie Kelce. “The newness of those eyeballs only want her to do well. Only want you to speak very highly of her, only want you to agree with what they agree with. And that’s kind of hard when we are critics to everyone who plays the game. It’s a part of the fabric of sports. That’s what we do.”
At 55, Staley has seen a lot in women’s basketball, and she’s gone head-to-head with Clark before. Twice, actually — both times in the Final Four, when Clark was playing at Iowa. She’s more than willing to praise Clark’s ability, but she was also clear that if you’re an opponent, your job is to find the weak spots.
“You want to highlight Caitlin Clark for what she does well, but if you are her opponent, you want to zero in on the things she doesn’t do well,” she said, reported Sports Illustrated. “She’s a risk taker when it comes to passing the ball. She’ll turn the ball over some, and that’s a great thing if you’re her opposition.”
Clark’s aggressive style on the court has already made headlines this season. As a rookie, she’s shattered the WNBA’s single-season turnover record with 223 turnovers so far — averaging 5.6 per game. For comparison, the previous record holder, Alyssa Thomas, had 145 turnovers in 2024, or 3.6 per game.
Still, Staley made it clear that perfection isn’t expected from anyone, not even the biggest stars. “No one plays the game perfectly. No one,” she said, not even A’ja Wilson, who Staley called the best player in the world right now. “I tear her game apart. I criticize her,” she added, explaining she’d once thought Wilson could rebound and defend better — and that she’s worked on both.
But don’t get it twisted — Staley isn’t down on Clark. In fact, she thinks Clark’s passing is what truly sets her apart.
“To me, the most dangerous thing [about] Caitlin Clark is her passing ability,” Staley said. “Her ability to make other people better and her ability to have other people’s production, along with her production. That’s how you win.”
Clark is currently averaging 21.3 points and 8.7 assists per game, and the Fever have gone 4-2 in games she’s played. So while not everyone may be bowing down to the hype, even the critics agree — she’s one to watch.