Who’s the GOAT? It’s one of the toughest questions to answer in any sport. Someone might be better at one thing, while another excels in a different area. Plus, everyone’s opinion is shaped by personal preference—it’s all subjective. A perfect example? Magic Johnson. Some consider him the NBA’s greatest of all time, but others disagree, pointing to the fact that he “only” won five championships compared to Michael Jordan’s six or Bill Russell’s staggering 11. But since these legends played in different eras, any comparison has to be specific to truly determine an ultimate GOAT.
Something similar just unfolded on ESPN ahead of Women’s March Madness, stirring up a heated debate. They dropped a YouTube video titled “Is Caitlin Clark The Greatest Of All Time In College Basketball?”—a title that immediately grabbed attention. But here’s the twist: Clark wasn’t even in their top five. So why put Clark’s name in the title at all? Well, former ESPN affiliate Rachel DeMita has an answer.
“It was clearly clickbait to get people to click on it. And they did, whether it was good engagement or not, they got the engagement,” DeMita shared on her YouTube channel. “I’m no stranger to that as well. I’ve told you guys that Courtside Club used to be on ESPN, and I had no say in what the title of the video was and what the thumbnail was.”
Simply put, the title was crafted for SEO purposes, designed to attract clicks. The video wasn’t even centered on the 2024 Rookie of the Year, yet adding Clark’s name was a deliberate move to get people to watch—and, let’s be real, rage about it. And guess what? It worked. The ESPN video racked up over 16K views, 152 likes, and more than 700 comments within just three days of posting. People were talking.
IOWA CITY, IA – MARCH 25: Iowa guard Caitlin Clark 22 as seen at a post game press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz after the West Virginia Mountaineers game versus the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second round of the NCAA, College League, USA Division I Women s Championship on March 25, 2024, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, IA. Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire NCAA BASKETBALL: MAR 25 Div I Women s Championship Second Round – West Virginia vs Iowa EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2403002506
Now, let’s break down the actual rankings. ESPN’s list of all-time greats featured Breanna Stewart (UConn) at No. 1, followed by Candace Parker (Tennessee) at No. 2, Diana Taurasi (UConn) at No. 3, Maya Moore (UConn) at No. 4, and Cheryl Miller (USC) rounding out the top five. Notice a trend? The rankings leaned heavily on national championship wins—no surprise, given that UConn has the most in NCAA history with 11.
Tennessee followed closely behind with eight, which is why Parker landed in the second spot. And while Cheryl Miller was an exception to the UConn-Tennessee dominance, her case was undeniable—she led USC to both of its NCAA titles.
No doubt, these five legends earned their place on that list. Between them, they boast 12 NCAA championships and 11 Naismith Player of the Year awards. But here’s the thing—being on the best team doesn’t necessarily mean being the best player.
That’s where Clark’s case gets interesting. She took a “small” program like Iowa and transformed it into the team to beat—even without winning a championship. Before Clark, Iowa had never reached a national championship game. With her? They did it twice in a row. And let’s be clear—she didn’t just lead the team, she was the team.
Caitlin Clark snubbed? the stats say otherwise, but the debate rages on.
Every time, Caitlin Clark was on court, she was the scouting focus of every opponent, constantly double-teamed and pressured, yet she still dominated. She shattered every major scoring record and finished third all-time in assists. Let that sink in. In four seasons, she was a two-time National Player of the Year, a three-time NCAA scoring and assist leader, and a three-time NCAA season scoring leader.
Clark’s NCAA stat line is nothing short of mind-blowing—3,951 points and 1,144 assists. To put that in perspective, it completely overshadows the numbers put up by some of the all-time greats on ESPN’s list. Diana Taurasi? 2,156 points and three titles. Candace Parker? 2,137 points and two titles. Maya Moore? 3,036 points and two titles. Even Cheryl Miller, who dominated her era, finished with 3,018 points and two championships.
Yet, despite Clark’s record-breaking stats, she was off from All-time rankings. But, despite this, none would disagree on the fact that players like Caitlin Clark don’t come around often. And while she’s now taking the WNBA by storm, her legacy in college basketball is already cemented. She’s an all-around phenom who will go down as one of the GOATs based on her play, not just the attention she generates.
And here’s the kicker—her fanbase is unlike anything women’s basketball has ever seen. The moment ESPN’s list dropped without her name, they made their voices heard. So, was this all just a strategic move to stir the pot? A calculated way to drive engagement? Or did ESPN genuinely believe Clark didn’t deserve a spot? Either way, the conversation is far from over.
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