“She is the most impactful player that I’ve seen hit the scene, not even just in basketball, but in sports, in a generation.”
Caitlin Clark is being hailed by Chiney Ogwumike as a generational talent who is raising the bar for women’s basketball. As a guest on the most recent episode of the podcast Awful Announcing,
Ogwumike was open about how she believed that the support from her own network for women’s basketball helped the sport get ready for this historic year.
She also discussed Clark’s significance to women’s basketball, telling host Brandon Contes that while her influence isn’t exaggerated, all of the information you see and read about it is accurate.
Ogwumike told Contes, “She is the most influential player that I’ve seen come onto the scene, not even in basketball, but in sports, in a generation, because of how she moves a needle with both viewership and business.”
And all boats are lifted by that rising tide. I say “for a generation” because I have firsthand experience with it. I had Maya Moore as my opponent. It was me versus Candace Parker.
I competed against Diana Taurasi, especially the majority of WNBA players. And Lisa Leslie is my big sister in life, my mentor, and not just when it comes to basketball.
“She is the most impactful player that I’ve seen hit the scene, not even just in basketball, but in sports, in a generation.”
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) August 3, 2024
Chiney Ogwumike on Caitlin Clark’s impact on the WNBA (h/t @awfulannouncing) pic.twitter.com/XseOKMJrE9
“I am aware of the game’s inherent grandeur, but Caitlin Clark is elevating it to unprecedented levels. And it’s bringing and ushering in the time we’ve been looking forward to.
I believe that when we compliment other players, people frequently see it as a jab against Caitlin, even though that isn’t the case. While it’s important to acknowledge and applaud those who are pushing the game forward,
Caitlin is moving quickly for us in terms of our company, growth, and audience
Many people become quite upset when I remark, ‘Players realize this.’
Indeed, players are aware of this, and I can personally attest to the fact that following the All-Star Game, everyone is embracing and supporting one another in the locker rooms.
“I hope you have success in Paris.” I wish you luck for the remainder of the season. People now attribute these women’s personalities to their competitive, nasty, and outgoing behavior when they see them out in public under bright lights.
It’s not like that at all. Knowing the actual circumstances while simultaneously being aware of how they are seen from the outside is, in my opinion, what is frustrating.
“Caitlin Clark is the most influential player in the game that we have seen in a generation, and she is arguably the best at advancing the business.”
I’m thrilled to be a part of this occasion that she’s elevating. Contes observed that there was a notion that the WNBA wasn’t physical or competitive, and that many people who are just now starting to watch the league had this attitude.
Ogwumike clarified that this impression is untrue and that there are many skilled and fiercely competitive athletes in the WNBA.
Yes, it was one of the main educational messages Ogwumike intended to convey to the public because she believed that people had preconceived notions about how women ought to behave in comparison to males, especially when it came to sports.
“These female athletes are badass**.” Who is in front of them doesn’t matter to them. Their purpose is to compete. That’s what they do. In addition, we haven’t been playing for a very long time since we haven’t found a better method to state things, like for the salaries.
Given that there are only 12 spots available on this roster, we are playing for pride in our performance and legacy. It is necessary to kill what you eat.
Naturally, that entails dealing with problems that we have encountered, especially when viewed through the perspective of what Caitlin faced. However, she is better off now that she has chosen and accepted this course of action.
People used to get really angry during the first half of the year, when we were constantly worrying about keeping her safe on the court. Many individuals, presumably since I’m not on her squad or a teammate, would respond to me by saying things like, “I don’t really care about her turnovers.”
Actually, I don’t. I believe she will become a better version of herself if she is willing to share and doesn’t care how she looks or how mistakes she makes.
“She is going to demonstrate her willingness to perform at the top caliber for both her followers and herself. And believe me when I say that it did. Her supporters are selling out and renovating arenas, and she established a WNBA record with 19 assists.
She is the moment, and as the season progresses, she is becoming even more amazing, as we have all discussed and anticipated. “Can you image how she feels about it?
That’s why I’m relieved she’s relaxing. It’s a lot on her shoulders, even when you see photos of her snapping photos at supermarkets and on trains and terminals. However, she and others have handled it really well.
Ogwumike, a former No. 1 overall choice, can identify with Clark. Contes was informed by her that “everyone wanted to bust my a**.”
This is what I always tell people was the first thing I ever learnt. I told you about my sister Nneka, who taught me how to play the Phoenix Mercury so I could beat my opponents,” continued Ogwumike.
“Nneka, what do I do with Diana on the perimeter?” I thought to myself. “Chiney, let me tell you something,” she said. Diana will put you to the test if she perceives you as a novice.
She will punch you the moment you set up a screen, to start with. So, use the information however you see fit. I lower myself, certain that I will place a screen over Diana. And what do you know? I struck her firmly before she struck me.
She attempted to punch you in the screen, like you had a screen, to see what you were made of. I gave her a strong blow. The issue was that her squad had to go to the free-throw line because a foul was called on that play.
The ball was lifeless. I was unable to strike her and flee. Do you understand what I mean? I think to myself as I step up to the free throw line, “Oh God, she’s going to see that I leveled her.” I proceed, and she activates the 3-point line, draws a straight B-line for me, and takes a position beside me.
She shouldn’t be on the free throw line, so keep that in mind. She can protect the point. She is expected to return to half-court. She turned and approached me, saying, “I see you, welcome to the league.” I notice you. That is the experience of becoming a WNBA player.
As a five guarding Sylvia Fowles, I used to get elbows in the friggin face because she always cut through. Tamika Catchings dropped me in my third game, and I still remark, “Every time I see her, You for not taking that shot, Lord.
That ball and my touch with the earth lasted for the longest three seconds of my life. She missed it, and I would have been watching ESPN SportsCenter if she hadn’t missed it.
That resembled my initial five games. That is what the league is, so you have to kind of push through it. You turn into a beast. Do you understand what I mean? Thus, that’s what we are aware of. Therefore, I believe that people are witnessing the “beast” in these players.
