Caitlin Clark is already the NCAA all-time leading scorer for both men and women, and for one former women’s basketball star and now Hall of Famer, the Iowa Hawkeyes star is the GOAT of women’s hoops.
Nancy Lieberman shared her high praises for Clark in a recent interview, highlighting the impact that the sharpshooter has had in women’s sports in general.
Nancy Lieberman Calls Iowa Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark the GOAT
Lieberman, who played professionally in the WABA and became a coach in the WNBA and an assistant in the NBA, was asked by The Guardian to share her thoughts on Clark and her impact on the sport.
The basketball Hall of Famer didn’t hold back in her high praises of Clark, highlighting that the women’s game has never seen a player like her ever. That is why Lieberman was confident in declaring Clark as the greatest of all time, at least when it comes to the major influence she has had for female athletes and women’s basketball.
“She is legitimately the GOAT, I don’t really care what anybody else [thinks]. Nobody in the history of the game has done what she’s done,” Lieberman said.
And for those saying that Clark needs to win a national championship to even deserve that honor, Lieberman has a blunt response to that: “I’m sure some people will say she has to win a championship and I agree a championship means something. [But] Michael Jordan didn’t win a championship for the first [seven] years he was in the league. What Caitlin has done economically for women – she’s the GOAT.”
Lieberman added, “When Michael came into the NBA, very few African American athletes had commercials or endorsements and he changed that. Then everything else, including contracts got bigger. Endorsements got bigger. More people had opportunities to do things.”
Nancy Lieberman Hails Caitlin Clark’s Economic Impact
To further highlight her point, Nancy Lieberman noted that not even the greatest players in women’s basketball history has had the same impact as Caitlin Clark when it comes to growing women’s basketball.
More on more people are turning their attention to the game, and more and more fans are actually lining up to watch women’s basketball because of Clark. The attention on her has not only helped her and the Iowa Hawkeyes, but all other women’s sports.
“There are people lined up – 14,000, 15,000, 18,000 people – to see her play. She’s just a great person and I’m super happy for her. She brought men and women, children, boys and girls, hometown fans, everybody – she’s brought them to the party. She’s a true trailblazer in that sense. It’s exciting because you want players to be better than you. That just means you’ve set the bar high and that’s exciting,” Lieberman added.
No one can deny what Lieberman said, though. It might be unfair for the legends of the past, especially since it is way easier to promote players now with social media and the global reach of the game. Nonetheless, no one can also take away the fact that Clark made it possible for women’s basketball to be at the forefront.
As the NCAA Tournament rolls around, all eyes will certainly be on Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes as they try to win the national title.
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