The Athletic is launching a new series of sports’ debates in which two writers break down a specific topic. In this WNBA edition, Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman discuss Caitlin Clark’s professional start and ponder whether it can be framed as a success for herself and for the league.
Ben Pickman: Sabreena, we’re here to do a debate about Caitlin Clark. Has anyone ever done that before?
Sabreena Merchant: Nope. Never. 😂
As long as we’re here, let me set the scene. The WNBA season is about one month old, the Indiana Fever are in 11th place in the standings, and Caitlin Clark has more technical fouls than the Fever have wins. Things are not off to a great start in the basketball heartland. As the GOAT Diana Taurasi told us, reality was coming for Clark.
Pickman: And yet, I believe this has to be Clark and the Fever’s floor. Even amid her 10-turnover WNBA debut or when she shot 1 of 10 against the New York Liberty, or Indiana’s general team woes, Clark has still shown flashes of why she was the most anticipated prospect in WNBA history.
Merchant: Frankly, it isn’t altogether surprising that as a relatively young team, the Fever have struggled out of the gate. But Clark’s inability to raise Indiana’s offensive production has been a disappointment. The…
