Caitlin Clark surprised the basketball world with her decision to decline participation in the NBA All-Star weekend. The Indiana Fever star has played a key role in promoting and popularizing the WNBA, and rumors had placed her in San Francisco for the upcoming festivities. After last year’s thrilling three-point contest, speculation was rife that Clark might compete in this year’s All-Star weekend. However, a recent announcement defied everyone’s expectations, as the Iowa alum made it clear she would not be taking part in the NBA event.
On the Courtside Club, show host Rachel Annamarie DeMita had previously talked about CC participating in the All-Star weekend. After the announcement from Excel Sports Management, DeMita was forced to take back her words. “I am coming to you with the sincerest of apologies. Because I was definitely spreading fake news last week. That was unlike me. But I was so sure of this one thing, and boy was I wrong.”
DeMita, in a previous episode, ‘guaranteed’ that Caitlin Clark was preparing for the three-point contest. The rumor mill had her going up against Klay Thompson, while Sabrina Ionescu got her rematch with Curry. Sadly though, it was not to be. But why?
According to DeMita, and a conversation she had with a knowledgeable friend of hers at TGL, it was pretty easy to discern why the Fever star turned down this opportunity and ditched Ionescu. “Y’know what, we never see Caitlin shooting off of a rack.” DeMita said, referring to a talk she had with her friend. “She’s great off the dribble, going to her left hand, shooting long threes. She obviously has the ability. We’ve seen her make 50 out of 54 shots. But he expressed that concern as well that it’s very different shooting off of a rack. It definitely takes a little bit of practice.”
On top of that, Caitlin Clark possesses a killer instinct on the court. She’s a very competitive person and athlete, and DeMita agreed. “From what we have seen in her workouts and all these different types of things, Caitlin is, I don’t know her personally, she seems like the type of person. If she’s gonna do this contest, she wants to win it. She seems psychotic, she seems to have that Kobe mentality.”
Nevertheless, fans were a bit let down. Those planning to attend the All-Star weekend at the Chase Center in mid-February were hoping to catch a glimpse of the Indiana Fever star. Still, it’s reassuring for WNBA fans that Caitlin Clark has a three-point contest in mind. The Iowa alum will be featured in the WNBA All-Star event in Indianapolis this year, signaling that she will participate in the three-point contest.
Caitlin Clark’s Killer Instinct, Is She a Clutch Player?
With how often Caitlin Clark’s mentality gets brought up, it is safe to say that she has a reputation for being competitive. Even her college coach talked about her competitive spirit and fire in an interview recently. But how clutch is Caitlin Clark?
The NBA and WNBA keep a track of statistics that might make a player ‘clutch’. Their standard metric is if a team is within 5 points within the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter. Caitlin Clark ranks 4th in the WNBA according to these statistics, with her teammate Aliyah Boston right above her.
Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots defended by Connecticut Sun guard Veronica Burton (22) during the second half during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
According to Skip Bayless, however, Clark might not be as clutch as everyone thinks. After a close loss against the Chicago Sky, Bayless held no punches back while addressing Caitlin Clark. “Caitlin, I don’t know if she has that dog in her. I know she’s got talent, distant shooting talent, and a gift for passing the basketball, but I don’t know if she has that dog in her because I start to wonder. I know it’s extremely early, but I start to wonder when I see what I saw yesterday.” The analyst said after Fever’s loss on the 23rd of June. His points are valid, but the sample size for judgement is too small.
Clark still has a few seasons before any definitive statements can be made about her “clutch” factor. One thing is for certain, though—she can definitely shoot the ball! Fans are excited to see her in action with the Fever this year, and hopefully in the WNBA three-point contest. What do you think? Should Clark have participated in the NBA All-Star weekend? Do you think she would have won?
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