It's no secret that Caitlin Clark has revolutionized the WNBA, much like Michael Jordan did for the NBA back in the nineties. Just look at merchandise and ticket sales, media rights deals, and the overall influence of younger generations. That's where the common comparison between both of the two most popular sports figures in basketball has come from. The way each player has transformed their respective leagues is unlike any other popularity contest in sports.
And, Clark and Jordan just got another direct comparison in a piece written by The Intelligencer's Will Leitch, who wrote that Jordan's injury woes in his sophomore season in the NBA actually helped to propel the league forward using the popularity of other players in his absence. And, once he returned from his injuries to take on the Boston Celtics and Larry Bird head on, it was clear his dominance had just taken a brief siesta. Clark can very well take the same path, writes Leitch.
"This can be that season for both Clark and the WNBA: The year the league was able to show off its greatness while its breakthrough star was mostly sidelined, then able to return just in time for it all to come together. (And just in time to maximize player leverage in negotiations.) Caitlin Clark and the WNBA are going to grow together — rapidly, exponentially — for years, perhaps decades to come. This is just a small, early, but pivotal chapter in that journey. This is just beginning," said Leitch.
Clark gets perfect comparison to NBA legend
Clark having a seemingly down year in terms of production isn't necessarily the end of the world. Just like Jordan in his sophomore season, the expectations are even higher for Clark now that fans know what she can do at the professional level. She quickly appealed to the audience - old and new. Clark isn't the only major sports figure to be plagued by injury early on in their career.
Jordan broke his foot during his second year in the NBA during the third game of that year which caused him to miss 64 games that year. But he didn't let that time away flaw his game and neither did the league in terms of their efforts in keeping things going. Players around the NBA stepped up heavily during his absence. This was the point Leitch highlighted in his piece.
As a result, Jordan's nearly-mythological lore grew, and he ended up landing right on his feet as the face of the league after that foot injury.
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This can be the same scenario for Clark. No one is more frustrated by her injury woes than her. She's a natural competitor who wants nothing more than to be competing with her team. Jordan came back strong and put on arguably one of the best performances of his career shortly after that injury scoring 63 points in a playoff game. Clark has the necessary talent around her to be successful, much like Jordan did as well.
This is just the beginning for her and the WNBA as a whole. All-Star weekend proved that the needle has been moved and several eyes are now on the league even despite Clark's absence. Once she returns to her team fully healthy all the pieces will seemingly fall in line. The WNBA will continue to grow now that it has the big pieces to do so. Clark's influential impact will be seen for years to come.