On Thursday, Caitlin Clark announced that her season is over after dealing with injuries throughout the year. With that being the case, Stephen A. Smith is looking to see if the rest of the league backs up what they say about the quality of their product without her, especially with their playoffs about to tip off.
Smith reacted to Clark’s final status on ‘First Take’ on Friday. His biggest takeaway was that now is the time for the WNBA to show its worth beyond what Clark has brought since her arrival.
“Let’s find out what the rest of the WNBA is going to do in terms of popularity. You’ve been saying up and down, you know, whether tacitly or directly, that, ‘You know what? She’s getting too much shine even though we respect her and what have you – We deserve our shine,’” Smith said. “Well, now is a perfect opportunity for you to prove that.”
Clark appeared in only 13 games this season, dealing with injuries, most notably an issue with her groin, as she hadn’t played since July 15th. In the games she did play in, Clark posted 16.5 points (36.7% FG, 27.9% 3PT on 2.2 makes), 8.8 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game with the Indiana Fever being 8-5 in her outings.
The franchise had hoped she’d be back by the end of the regular season, with three games left over the next five days. But Clark took to social media on Thursday evening to share she would be done for the year in what’s her second season in the WNBA.
“I had hoped to share a better update, but I will not be returning to play this season. I spent hours in the gym every day with the singular goal of getting back out there, disappointed isn’t a big enough word to describe how I am feeling,” Clark posted. “I want to thank everyone who had my back through all the uncertainty.
“This has been incredibly frustrating, but even in the bad, there is good. The way the fans continued to show up for me, and for the Fever, brought me so much joy and important perspective. I am so proud of how this team has only gotten stronger through adversity this year. Now it’s time to close out the season and claim our spot in the Playoffs.”
The WNBA Playoffs will begin on September 14th. To this point, six teams have clinched spots in the Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream, Phoenix Mercury, New York Liberty, and Golden State Valkyries. That leaves two spots left with the Seattle Storm, Fever, and Los Angeles Sparks still alive with two games separating the three of them.
Still, this postseason should have plenty of storylines with the Liberty, Lynx, and Aces trying to get back to the WNBA Finals. The Dream and Mercury are back in the playoffs, and the Valkyries earned a spot in their debut year in the league.
There are several teams and stars who could make headlines in the WNBA Playoffs. However, if they don’t, especially with Clark now out, Smith thinks that’ll only further emphasize her importance to their league when some have continued to suggest otherwise.
“If not, acknowledge her impact on the financial aspects that she brings to the table, adopt the mentality that a rising tide lifts all boats, and learn to have an elevated level of appreciation for what she has brought to the game and assist her in making the league even more profitable,” Smith said.
