Candace Parker offered a more nuanced perspective on how to contextualize Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark’s game following a viral moment involving Reggie Miller during Clark’s recent appearance on NBC’s NBA coverage.
Speaking about player comparisons, Parker pushed back on the idea that Clark can be neatly matched to a single NBA player, instead outlining what she described as a “three prong approach” to understanding Clark’s skill set.
“There’s a three prong approach,” Parker said Feb. 5 during “Post Moves with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston.” “I think range like Steph. I think in terms of operating out of a pick and roll, like Trae. And I think in terms of like secondary and getting up fast shots like Steve Nash. And I think with all the great ones, there’s not one player you can compare them to.”
Parker’s comments followed a moment from NBC’s Sunday broadcast last week that quickly went viral online. During Clark’s debut as part of NBC’s NBA coverage, Miller compared her to Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard while discussing her feel for the game.
“I like Payton Pritchard from Boston,” Miller said during the broadcast. “The way he’s able to handle the basketball. He makes big shots when the shot clock is running down, a lot like this young lady right here.”
The comparison drew a visibly surprised reaction from Clark on air and sparked widespread discussion, with some viewers noting the disconnect between Clark’s role and stature in the WNBA and Pritchard’s role as a rotation player in the NBA.
Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, entered the league with significant expectations and largely exceeded them during her rookie season. She was named Rookie of the Year, earned an All-Star selection, set multiple rookie records and helped the Fever end an eight-year playoff drought. This past season, however, injuries limited Clark to 13 games after she appeared in all 40 as a rookie. She averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game.
Comparisons between Clark and Stephen Curry are not new. During her college career at Iowa, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith repeatedly likened her impact to that of the Golden State Warriors star.
“She is the Steph Curry of woman’s basketball. That is what I call her,” Smith said in 2023.
