Exploring Caitlin Clark's Impact on WNBA Promotion
Joy Taylor and Dan Sileo discuss Caitlin Clark's WNBA impact and her resemblance to NBA legends. Amid debates, she has successfully reshaped league dynamics.
Video Transcript
Why do you think the WNBA has a problem promoting a white chick like Caitlin Clark?
I mean, look, they did it with Larry Bird back in the day when Bird and Magic were trying to transform the NBA back in the early '80s.
Why can't the WNBA and why can't its players accept the fact?
Hey, Caitlin Clark's not the greatest player in the history of the WNBA, but she's the most polarizing player in maybe WNBA history.
Why is that such a tough putt for some of the players in the league and for some of the people that run the league?
Well, from a player perspective, I don't get-- I don't care who you are or who you think you are.
If I'm better than you, I'm smashing you in the mouth, period.
I'm not stepping aside because somebody said you're good or you're the most polarizing.
I'm, I'm putting an elbow in your neck as a player.
Like, that's just competition.
I, I don't even know from a competitive standpoint why anyone even has that conversation.
What I'm supposed to do, bend over because somebody said that sh- that she's the new thing?
Okay, come take it then.
Like, I could be an average player.
If I'm better than you a- and you're a rookie, that's Welcome to the league.
So from a player perspective, I-- they don't owe her anything.
It's, it's a, it's a, it's a insane concept to me that any player in the Larry was talking crap and putting, putting up buckets.
He didn't care if people didn't like him.
He enjoyed that people didn't like him.
From a, from a league perspective, it's a completely different conversation, and I do think that that is part of what they need to strategize on and lean into.
Caitlin hasn't done herself any favors.
She's, you know, out here shoving, you know, videographers and stuff.
Like she, she's gotta decide what side she's going to be on, and if you're gonna be a villain, lean into being a villain.
That's great for everybody.
Absolutely.
They're like you said, they, they went after Michael Jordan early in his career.
Jordan had to take the- Crushed him crushed him, exactly.
So again, if you want the title, guess what?
You gotta come and get it.
That's what, no question about it, what the great ones do.
