In an era where women's basketball continues to reach new heights, Iowa women's basketball star Caitlin Clark has emerged as a figure synonymous with the game's growth and appeal. Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman's recent comments likening Clark to basketball legend Michael Jordan not only underscore Clark's dominance on the court but also highlight her unprecedented impact off it.
Lieberman, a pioneer in women's basketball, bestowed Clark with the highest of praises, emphasizing that despite the absence of a NCAA championship title in Clark's portfolio, her contributions to women's basketball have been revolutionary.
“She’s won my award three times. Well, she will win it this year for the third time, in my opinion. And 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, per Jacob Uitti of The Guardian. “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.”
Clark's economic impact on the sport has been particularly emphasized by Lieberman. Jordan, recognized for transforming the commercial landscape for African American athletes in the NBA, finds a counterpart in Clark, who has significantly elevated the economic profile of women's basketball.
“What Caitlin has done economically for women – she’s the GOAT,” Lieberman said. 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.”
Caitlin Clark's legacy belongs with other greats
The significance of Clark's achievements becomes even more pronounced when compared to the legacies of other basketball greats.
“In all the years of Nancy Lieberman, Lynette Woodard, Cheryl Miller, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, A’ja Wilson, Tamika Catchings, Brittney Griner – all these other amazing, amazing athletes – we never had the economic impact that Caitlin Clark has had,” Lieberman said.
The excitement surrounding Clark's games, drawing crowds by the thousands, is a testament to her wide-reaching appeal and the inclusive nature of her impact, attracting fans across demographics. Most recently, 3.02 million viewers tuned in to watch Iowa vs. Nebraska in the Big Ten title game, with a peak of 4.45 million during overtime. It is now recorded as the most-watched women's college basketball game on CBS in 25 years.
“She brought men and women, children, boys and girls, hometown fans, everybody – she’s brought them to the party,” Lieberman said. “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.”
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