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Caitlin Clark. Will she.................

SanctionIISanctionII Posts: 12,096 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited June 11, 2024 10:46AM in Sports Talk

................. have a long career (i.e. 10 years or more) in the WNBA; or will she be out of the league in 2-3 years?

What can and should she do to maximize the chances that she has a long career; and that she becomes one of the best all around players in the league?

Comments

  • perkdogperkdog Posts: 30,541 ✭✭✭✭✭

    She will have a productive career

    . She is getting beat up because she is a Rookie. And a few other things ( she isn't exactly your prototypical WNBA player )

    Her being the #1 pick means all eyes are on her and after all the hype and scrutiny moves along to the next big name college player then she will be able to concentrate on basketball more than all the distractions

  • ElMagoStrikeZoneElMagoStrikeZone Posts: 477 ✭✭✭

    She will need to rebound and dish besides draining 35 foot bombs. Make her teammates better.

    Gobble.

  • DarinDarin Posts: 6,976 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Honestly I think the best thing her coaches can do for her is not let her practice too much.
    I think Jackie Stiles has said practicing too much ruined her knees. But she was obsessed with basketball and that inner drive she had made her a great player.

  • 1948_Swell_Robinson1948_Swell_Robinson Posts: 1,920 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Needs an enforcer on her team. Dress up Laimbeer and send him.

    The league mates are jealous of her and it shows.

    And how stupid is the Olympic selection committee? They finally have a player bringing positive momentum to their league and they keep her off the Olympic team.

    Also rings how stupid her league mates are too for treating her in the manner they are too. Those league mates should be praising her for giving their league a life line.

  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,874 ✭✭✭✭✭

    So far the WNBA thugs have treated Caitlin like chit, and we all know why.

    Quite shameful really. If these thugs had any brains, they'd realize that Caitlin is the best thing that ever happened to their league, and treat her accordingly for their own benefit.

  • RiveraFamilyCollectRiveraFamilyCollect Posts: 625 ✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:
    So far the WNBA thugs have treated Caitlin like chit, and we all know why.

    Quite shameful really. If these thugs had any brains, they'd realize that Caitlin is the best thing that ever happened to their league, and treat her accordingly for their own benefit.

    Are the "Thugs" you are referring to black players? You are expressing bigoted opinions again? Why do you even watch sports?

    The substantial truth doctrine is an important defense in defamation law that allows individuals to avoid liability if the gist of their statement was true.

  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,874 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RiveraFamilyCollect said:

    @stevek said:
    So far the WNBA thugs have treated Caitlin like chit, and we all know why.

    Quite shameful really. If these thugs had any brains, they'd realize that Caitlin is the best thing that ever happened to their league, and treat her accordingly for their own benefit.

    Are the "Thugs" you are referring to black players? You are expressing bigoted opinions again? Why do you even watch sports?

    Thugs are thugs.

  • RiveraFamilyCollectRiveraFamilyCollect Posts: 625 ✭✭✭✭

    Who are the thugs, be clear in your racism you coward

    The substantial truth doctrine is an important defense in defamation law that allows individuals to avoid liability if the gist of their statement was true.

  • erikthredderikthredd Posts: 8,957 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ElMagoStrikeZone said:
    She will need to rebound and dish besides draining 35 foot bombs. Make her teammates better.

    Looking at the WNBA statistical leaders, she's...
    4th in the entire league at 6 assists per game
    28th in the WNBA in rebounds per game at 4.9 (28th out of roughly 150-170 total players in league)

    She's already doing all of that.

  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,874 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RiveraFamilyCollect said:
    Who are the thugs, be clear in your racism you coward

    @RiveraFamilyCollect said:
    Who are the thugs, be clear in your racism you coward

    Definition:

    Thug - a violent, aggressive person.

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,203 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:
    So far the WNBA thugs have treated Caitlin like chit, and we all know why.

    Quite shameful really. If these thugs had any brains, they'd realize that Caitlin is the best thing that ever happened to their league, and treat her accordingly for their own benefit.

    jealousy is a very strong emotion

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • erikthredderikthredd Posts: 8,957 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think she'll play in the WNBA for as long as she wants to barring some major injury taking that decision away from her.
    She really needs to add more muscle so she can handle the rigorous play that many WNBA players are currently putting her through.

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,203 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RiveraFamilyCollect said:

    @stevek said:
    So far the WNBA thugs have treated Caitlin like chit, and we all know why.

    Quite shameful really. If these thugs had any brains, they'd realize that Caitlin is the best thing that ever happened to their league, and treat her accordingly for their own benefit.

    Are the "Thugs" you are referring to black players? You are expressing bigoted opinions again? Why do you even watch sports?

    oh my word, why does EVERYTHING have to do with race/politics with you.

    good grief.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • RiveraFamilyCollectRiveraFamilyCollect Posts: 625 ✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:

    @RiveraFamilyCollect said:
    Who are the thugs, be clear in your racism you coward

    @RiveraFamilyCollect said:
    Who are the thugs, be clear in your racism you coward

    Definition:

    Thug - a violent, aggressive person.

    I'm not letting you off that easy bigot.
    "So far the WNBA thugs have treated Caitlin like chit, and we all know why.

    Quite shameful really. If these thugs had any brains,"
    Who are these thugs if not black WMBA players?!

    The substantial truth doctrine is an important defense in defamation law that allows individuals to avoid liability if the gist of their statement was true.

  • stevekstevek Posts: 28,874 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @craig44 said:

    @stevek said:
    So far the WNBA thugs have treated Caitlin like chit, and we all know why.

    Quite shameful really. If these thugs had any brains, they'd realize that Caitlin is the best thing that ever happened to their league, and treat her accordingly for their own benefit.

    jealousy is a very strong emotion

    Completely agree, that has a lot to do with it.

    Where these thugs are so dumb, is someone such as Caitlin helps everyone in the league. Including the thugs to rise-up and make more money. After all, they are professionals playing for money. More money benefits all of them. Should be common sense.

  • RiveraFamilyCollectRiveraFamilyCollect Posts: 625 ✭✭✭✭

    @craig44 said:

    oh my word, why does EVERYTHING have to do with race/politics with you.

    good grief.

    Oh yea, I'm the racist one for not letting Stevek get away with racist dog whistles. I'm such a bad person.

    The substantial truth doctrine is an important defense in defamation law that allows individuals to avoid liability if the gist of their statement was true.

  • RiveraFamilyCollectRiveraFamilyCollect Posts: 625 ✭✭✭✭

    I'm just gonna cut this one short again.
    @PCGS_Moderator

    The substantial truth doctrine is an important defense in defamation law that allows individuals to avoid liability if the gist of their statement was true.

  • bgrbgr Posts: 1,620 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I can certainly see why other players, especially the established stars in the WNBA, would have a chip on their shoulder with Clark's arrival and the attention she was seeing. You can see it in the press-bites from other players about because they are all being asked the same questions about Clark. The media is gonna do that obviously, but the responses are not well-prepared. I don't know if it's necessarily going to blow up into anything in the WNBA... like a player strike... The WNBA players union doesn't seem to have the same power as the NBPA. But, here comes this rookie with all this attention and endorsement $$$ and then the media is asking me every game about her -- that's going to get old I'm sure.

    I think she has a career under 10 years by her choice.

  • ElMagoStrikeZoneElMagoStrikeZone Posts: 477 ✭✭✭

    @erikthredd said:

    @ElMagoStrikeZone said:
    She will need to rebound and dish besides draining 35 foot bombs. Make her teammates better.

    Looking at the WNBA statistical leaders, she's...
    4th in the entire league at 6 assists per game
    28th in the WNBA in rebounds per game at 4.9 (28th out of roughly 150-170 total players in league)

    She's already doing all of that.

    Yes, but is she really doing what my second sentence implies? The whole team will need to improve around her, including their stats.

    Gobble.

  • erikthredderikthredd Posts: 8,957 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 11, 2024 10:23AM

    @ElMagoStrikeZone said:

    @erikthredd said:

    @ElMagoStrikeZone said:
    She will need to rebound and dish besides draining 35 foot bombs. Make her teammates better.

    Looking at the WNBA statistical leaders, she's...
    4th in the entire league at 6 assists per game
    28th in the WNBA in rebounds per game at 4.9 (28th out of roughly 150-170 total players in league)

    She's already doing all of that.

    Yes, but is she really doing what my second sentence implies? The whole team will need to improve around her, including their stats.

    C'mon man, she's 13 games into her WNBA career and probably still trying to find her place on that team and in the league.
    I'm sure she's real worried about whatever career goals that you decide she needs to achieve. 🤣

    edit: also don't forget, she was the first overall pick in the WNBA draft meaning she went to a horrible team and it doesn't matter how great of a player that 1st overall pick is when 99% of the time that same player can't make up for all of the team's deficiencies. You can look directly at Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio's lack of success this past season to see what I'm talking about.

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,203 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RiveraFamilyCollect said:

    @craig44 said:

    oh my word, why does EVERYTHING have to do with race/politics with you.

    good grief.

    Oh yea, I'm the racist one for not letting Stevek get away with racist dog whistles. I'm such a bad person.

    YOU are the one inserting race into nearly every topic I see you post in. good grief, find a political message board you can race bait in. leave us to sports. You are reading into Stevek's posts. he hasn't said anything wrong. YOU are looking really hard to try and find something wrong.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,203 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RiveraFamilyCollect said:

    @craig44 said:

    oh my word, why does EVERYTHING have to do with race/politics with you.

    good grief.

    Oh yea, I'm the racist one for not letting Stevek get away with racist dog whistles. I'm such a bad person.

    YOU are incendiary. constantly looking for trouble.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • @erikthredd said:

    @ElMagoStrikeZone said:

    @erikthredd said:

    @ElMagoStrikeZone said:
    She will need to rebound and dish besides draining 35 foot bombs. Make her teammates better.

    Looking at the WNBA statistical leaders, she's...
    4th in the entire league at 6 assists per game
    28th in the WNBA in rebounds per game at 4.9 (28th out of roughly 150-170 total players in league)

    She's already doing all of that.

    Yes, but is she really doing what my second sentence implies? The whole team will need to improve around her, including their stats.

    C'mon man, she's 13 games into her WNBA career and probably still trying to find her place on that team and in the league.
    I'm sure she's real worried about whatever career goals that you decide she needs to achieve. 🤣

    Um, I was simply trying to answer the OP's question about her professional future. I never implied that she should come out of the gate like THE GREATEST EVER! (eyeroll)

    I'd surmise it'll take awhile for Indiana to build a team that can win in a league full of other talented players.

    Gobble.

  • RiveraFamilyCollectRiveraFamilyCollect Posts: 625 ✭✭✭✭

    @craig44 said:

    YOU are incendiary. constantly looking for trouble.

    Incorrect. Looking for trouble was Stevek with the bigotry. You don't want to be called a racist bigot? Don't be one.
    Keep crying about how I'm the problem. Like I told Galaxy, I'm not going anywhere. And it's Oh so easy to hit that flag button every time Stevek and Galaxy break rules by being racist or cursing at people. And I cant wait to hear you cry "snitch" like I give a single care to people singing grade school nursery rhymes.

    Galaxy, Stevek, Craig44 seem to be the only ones expressing and enjoying the racism.

    The substantial truth doctrine is an important defense in defamation law that allows individuals to avoid liability if the gist of their statement was true.

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,203 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @RiveraFamilyCollect said:

    @craig44 said:

    YOU are incendiary. constantly looking for trouble.

    Incorrect. Looking for trouble was Stevek with the bigotry. You don't want to be called a racist bigot? Don't be one.
    Keep crying about how I'm the problem. Like I told Galaxy, I'm not going anywhere. And it's Oh so easy to hit that flag button every time Stevek and Galaxy break rules by being racist or cursing at people. And I cant wait to hear you cry "snitch" like I give a single care to people singing grade school nursery rhymes.

    Galaxy, Stevek, Craig44 seem to be the only ones expressing and enjoying the racism.

    how have I expressed racism? be very specific.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • RiveraFamilyCollectRiveraFamilyCollect Posts: 625 ✭✭✭✭

    Oh no, you haven't expressed much bigotry. You just smile big when Galaxy and Stevek do it for you. You are there to call anyone complaining about racism the actual racist. Your playbook is soft.

    The substantial truth doctrine is an important defense in defamation law that allows individuals to avoid liability if the gist of their statement was true.

  • SanctionIISanctionII Posts: 12,096 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My oh my.

    This thread has gone off the rails almost immediately after it left the station.

    My own thought is that if Clark wants to have a long WNBA career she will need to develop her skills as a player in all phases of the game so that she has an overall game that places her at or above the skill level of other players. Developing as a player would include becoming stronger, faster, quicker, more flexible, having greater endurance; and it would include improving on basketball fundamentals. Mentally, Clark would have to develop an attitude that she simply will not allow other players to get the best of her; and that she will get the best of other players.

    Larry Bird had the type of attitude that showed he did not care about who the other players on the court were. He competed against and beat down everyone.

    Steph Curry is an example of a very talented college player of relatively small physical size that made the transition to the NBA (and becoming an all time great player) by hard work. He improved his size and strength. He further developed his skill set in all phases of the game. By doing so he became so talented and good that he can and does beat any other player on the floor. On offense he can score at any time, from anywhere on the court.

    If Clark or any other player in the WNBA shows, by their play, that she is one that simply will not allow herself to be beaten (in any respect), the other players in the league will come to the conclusion that she CAN PLAY. Respect will follow, as will admiration.

    With respect to the term Thug that has been mentioned in this thread, it is not IMO a term that is limited in its application.

    I think that most would agree that Bill Lambier of the Pistons would be viewed as a Thug on the court, as would many other players on NBA rosters since the league was formed in the mid 1940's.

    I am sure that some WNBA players since the league was formed would also be viewed as a Thug on the court.

    With respect to general society, in every city, town, village, community or assemblage of people, there are persons who would be viewed as Thugs in general or in specific situations.

    If this thread continues to stay off of the rails I ask that the moderator close this thread.

  • bgrbgr Posts: 1,620 ✭✭✭✭✭

    He used the word "thug" to describe the players in the WNBA who are beating up Clark. Reminds me of Jordan with the Pistons those early years. Thug is pretty accurate and while it's been used as a racial trope, you don't have to read it that way, so I didn't.

    So far the WNBA thugs have treated Caitlin like chit, and we all know why.

    Quite shameful really. If these thugs had any brains, they'd realize that Caitlin is the best thing that ever happened to their league, and treat her accordingly for their own benefit.

    It's pretty true. Replace it with "hacks" perhaps if certain contexts bother you. I saw a highlight of Breanna Stewart blowing Clark up... she's getting it from everyone. As craig says... showing off her talents is one of the things bringing attention to the WNBA right and I don't think knocking her off the ball all the time is going to keep them watching. For the people out there who think it's a low skill league, this isn't going to change minds.

    Anyways... here's to another thread getting shuttered. Cheers!

  • erikthredderikthredd Posts: 8,957 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ElMagoStrikeZone said:

    @erikthredd said:

    @ElMagoStrikeZone said:

    @erikthredd said:

    @ElMagoStrikeZone said:
    She will need to rebound and dish besides draining 35 foot bombs. Make her teammates better.

    Looking at the WNBA statistical leaders, she's...
    4th in the entire league at 6 assists per game
    28th in the WNBA in rebounds per game at 4.9 (28th out of roughly 150-170 total players in league)

    She's already doing all of that.

    Yes, but is she really doing what my second sentence implies? The whole team will need to improve around her, including their stats.

    C'mon man, she's 13 games into her WNBA career and probably still trying to find her place on that team and in the league.
    I'm sure she's real worried about whatever career goals that you decide she needs to achieve. 🤣

    Um, I was simply trying to answer the OP's question about her professional future. I never implied that she should come out of the gate like THE GREATEST EVER! (eyeroll)

    I'd surmise it'll take awhile for Indiana to build a team that can win in a league full of other talented players.

    I don't follow the Fever or the WNBA in general but that Indiana squad the past handful of years has been absolutely putrid.
    Here's their history since 2012 where they won the WNBA Finals:
    2012 won WNBA Finals
    2013 Lost conference Finals
    2014 Lost Conference Finals
    2015 Lost WNBA Finals
    2016 Lost first round
    2017 finished 9-25 w/ .265 winning percentage
    2018 finished 6-28 .176 win%
    2019 13-21 .382 win%
    2020 6-16 .273 win% (Covid shortened season)
    2021 6-26 .188 win%
    2022 5-31 .139 win%
    2023 13-27 .325 win%

    in 2023 & 2024 Indiana landed the first overall picks and as of today the Fever are currently 3-10 and sitting in position for the 2nd overall pick in 2025.

    That team needs as much talent as possible and a 6-1/154lb point guard isn't going to turn them into a contender. Again look at everything that Wembanyama brought to the table yet the Spurs will be drafting 4th overall.

    The issue here isn't that Clark doesn't need to do more, its that you have unrealistic expectations for some athlete's success. That's all.

This discussion has been closed.