Breanna Stewart couldn’t help but laugh. Because what else can you do when greatness is happening right in front of you? Caitlin Clark drilled a deep three with Stewart guarding her, and the two-time MVP showed her appreciation with a smile and a shake of the head. That moment perfectly captured what Clark brought in her return.
Back after missing five games with a left quad strain, Clark came out on fire on a Saturday against the defending champion New York Liberty. She dropped 14 points in the first quarter alone, including an outrageous stretch of three triples and nine points in under 45 seconds. She added 11 more points in the second quarter, finishing the half with 25, her highest-scoring half so far in her young WNBA career.
By the final buzzer, Clark had come just shy of a triple-double, putting up 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists, while leading the Indiana Fever to a signature win over the previously unbeaten Liberty. Reacting to this unbelievable performance, former ESPN and Fox Sports broadcaster Skip Bayless gave his opinion in an almost 4-minute-long segment on his social media.
Bayless has always loved making bold claims, from hyping Tim Tebow years ago to now crowning Clark, which often rubs fans the wrong way because it feels like he’s picking favorites without the full picture.
In his statement, he said, “She is the best player in the league, she is doing things no woman has ever done before. She is shooting threes, she is jump shooting, again, like Steph Curry.” He further praised her passing, saying, “She made 3 or 4 passes where I just said, ‘That’s just extraordinary. That’s just too good. I have not seen a female point guard make those kinds of passes consistently.”
To be fair, Clark’s 38.7% three-point shooting and league-leading 9.2 assists per game do bring Curry’s flair to mind, but fans point out players like Sue Bird, who averaged 10.1 assists back in 2003, made jaw-dropping passes too.
In the segment, Bayless declared that Caitlin Clark is the best women’s basketball player he has ever seen and went as far as saying she’s already the best player in the WNBA. His comments sparked backlash from longtime WNBA fans, many of whom felt his praise overlooked the accomplishments of established stars.
Fans outrage against Skip Bayless’ Caitlin Clark praise
Bayless is best described as one of sports media’s most polarizing and influential personalities. Known for his fiery takes, unapologetic confidence, and unwavering convictions, Bayless has built a decades-long career around bold, often divisive opinions, particularly in debate formats.
Indiana Fever Caitlin Clark (22) gets the crowd excited Saturday, May 3, 2025, during a preseason game between the Indiana Fever and the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
He has a long list of controversial incidents, like criticizing LeBron James and downplaying his title wins. Bayless also criticized Draymond Green, who clapped back at him. Incidents like these have earned him a lot of haters. And his recent take on Caitlin Clark got him a lot of backlash from WNBA fans.
Have you never seen Candace Parker play
— Bobby Tansey (@Giantfan974) June 15, 2025
“She’s not a top 5 player in her own league.” One fan wrote. That is a contentious argument. A’ja Wilson is up there after that anomaly of the 2024 season, where she did everything but win the title. She topped the points per game, total points, and total rebounds, and many other statlines while taking the Las Vegas Aces to a semi-final appearance. Napheesa Collier had a great 2024 season and is in an even better form in 2025, and is possibly an MVP candidate for 2025 with 26.1 points, 3.9 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game so far.
Kelsey Plum has stepped out of A’ja Wilson’s shadow and is now leading the Los Angeles Sparks with confidence, carving out her legacy. Sabrina Ionescu continues to post elite numbers and remains one of the league’s premier perimeter threats. She was the Caitlin Clark before Caitlin Clark, with her sharp shooting and floor vision.
Caitlin Clark, meanwhile, is quickly becoming one of the most impactful players in the WNBA. She leads the league in assists with 9.2 per game and is the second-highest scorer at 21.6 points per game. Already named Rookie of the Year and the catalyst for Indiana’s first playoff appearance in nearly a decade, her numbers are elite across the board. There’s a strong case to be made that Clark is already a top-five player in the league right now. But to be considered among the all-time greats, she’ll need to sustain this level of production and leadership over multiple seasons. The talent is there, and the next step is longevity.
“If this was LeBron, he’d talk about the 7 turnovers,” one fan wrote, highlighting what many see as a consistent pattern in Skip Bayless’s commentary. Bayless has a long history of criticizing LeBron James, often questioning his ability to perform in clutch moments, downplaying his championships, and labeling him as an “overprotected” superstar.
Caitlin Clark, in her recent near-perfect performance, also committed a high number of turnovers. Yet Bayless offered only glowing praise. For a commentator known for nitpicking athletes he is less fond of, the absence of critique feels inconsistent. While Clark was undoubtedly brilliant, the lack of critical balance from Bayless opens the door for valid criticism of how he applies his standards.
“I didn’t even bother turning the mute off. I just looked at him and said, ‘I don’t want to hear a single word he’s saying. He thinks he’s the star!’” wrote another fan, expressing the growing sentiment that Skip Bayless often centers himself in the sports stories he covers.
Rather than focusing solely on the athletes or the game, Bayless is often accused of turning the spotlight onto himself, using bombastic takes and exaggerated delivery to draw attention, even when it overshadows the subject matter, like making expansive statements calling Clark ‘the best he has ever seen’. The fact that he is pushing 75 and still putting out controversial statements and inciting such enrage from fans just adds to the anger.
“Never been anything like her?” one fan questioned. The WNBA has been home to numerous legends who have not only put up elite numbers but sustained their greatness over long, decorated careers. Players like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, Sheryl Swoopes, and Lisa Leslie helped define the league with consistent excellence, leadership, and championship pedigree. These women carved out legacies over decades, setting the standard for greatness both on and off the court. Their contributions cannot be overshadowed by a player who, as impressive as she’s been, is still only midway through her second season in the W.
Caitlin Clark has undeniable talent and a sky-high ceiling. Her shooting range, passing vision, and marketability are already reshaping how the league is viewed by broader audiences. But greatness in the WNBA is measured not just by box scores and highlight reels, it’s built through resilience, championships, and long-term impact. Clark has the potential to eventually belong in those conversations. But for now, the comparisons to all-time greats are premature. The legacy talk can wait. Let her write her story over time.
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