ESPN dubs Caitlin Clark WNBA’s next generational draft prospect
Names like Ken Griffey Jr. for the Seattle Mariners in Major League Baseball, LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA, or Andrew Luck to the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL.
What do they all have in common? They were generational, can’t-miss talents coming out of college or high school.
That’s just to name a few, too. ESPN just took a look at the most-hyped draft prospects since 1979 across MLB, the NBA, the NFL, the NHL and the WNBA.
In doing so, it also got ESPN wondering: Who are the next can’t-miss, generational talents in all of the major sports?
Naturally, Iowa Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark was one of the two names selected by ESPN’s M.A. Voepel as the next can’t-miss, generational WNBA talent.
While Clark will be eligible for the 2024 WNBA draft, the West Des Moines product told Dan Patrick back in February that she was mulling spending each of the next two years in Iowa City.
Hawkeye fans certainly hope that’s the case. Whether it’s in the 2024 WNBA draft or the 2025 WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark is sure to come off the board first.
Let’s take a look at what ESPN had to say about Clark as a can’t-miss draft prospect.
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Why there is buzz
This goes without saying if you’re a fan of women’s college basketball or the Iowa Hawkeyes, but Clark’s basketball prowess and superstardom is next level. Simply put, Clark is doing things on the basketball court that we’ve never seen done before.
Clark swept the national player of the year awards in 2023 and led Iowa to its first NCAA final. She’s the most lethal offensive player in the women’s college game, as she’s equally effective as a scorer and a passer. She has the ball the majority of the time, and former WNBA point guard Ticha Penicheiro said of Clark, “She’s the best decision-maker on the court.”
Clark not only led the nation in 3-pointers made, but she’s known for shooting them from way downtown. The further out she shoots, the more she forces defenders to pick her up near half court. Clark’s consecutive 41-point games in the Elite Eight — she recorded a triple-double in the win over Louisville — and national semifinals were two of the best back-to-back performances ever in the NCAA tournament.
Clark was the most exciting player to watch in March Madness. Although she will be a senior, she has an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 waiver. So it’s possible we won’t see her as a WNBA player until the 2025 season. – Voepel, ESPN.
ESPN's stat to know
It doesn’t get talked about nearly enough, but Clark is more than just a lights-out shooter. She can really distribute the rock as well. Her former running mate Monika Czinano would attest to that. ESPN agrees.
Stat to know:
She led Division I in assists (8.6) and 3-pointers per game (3.68) and she was second in scoring (27.8 PPG) in 2022; no other Division I player was in the top 25 of all three of those categories. – Voepel, ESPN.
ESPN's pro comp
ESPN’s pro comp: Diana Taurasi, Sabrina Ionescu
The old guard and the new guard.
There’s nothing wrong with being compared to the great Diana Taurasi. The three-time NCAA and WNBA champion has been a superstar in basketball for two-plus decades. Taurasi helped put the WNBA on the map with the Phoenix Mercury and was incredible before that at UConn.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionescu took the nation by storm while at Oregon just like Clark is doing at Iowa right now. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft, Ionescu is averaging 16.7 points per game this season with the New York Liberty. Ionescu just won the 3-point shooting contest during the WNBA All-Star weekend and issued a challenge (which was accepted) to Golden State Warriors great Steph Curry.
ESPN's other next generational WNBA talent
ESPN’s other next-in-line generational talent is none other than LSU‘s Angel Reese. The 6-foot-3 forward from Baltimore finished last season with a remarkable 34 double-doubles in 36 games. Reese is terrific, but did everyone just forget about Paige Bueckers at Connecticut?
The rest of ESPN's next generational talents
What about across the board? Who does ESPN tab as the next generational talents in all of the other major sports? Let’s take a look:
MLB: Ethan Holliday, 3B, Stillwater High School (Okla.); Leodalis de Vries, SS, Dominican Republic
NBA: Cameron Boozer, PF, Christopher Columbus High School (Miami)
NFL: Caleb Williams, QB, USC; Harold Perkins, DE, LSU
NHL: Macklin Celebrini, C, Boston University; Gavin McKenna, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
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