The WNBA and women's basketball are experiencing a surge in popularity that they haven't experienced before. While the arrival of talented young players like Angel Reese and Cameron Brink has played a significant role, the biggest reason for this rise in popularity is undoubtedly the Indiana Fever's sensational rookie guard, Caitlin Clark .
After a rough start, the 6-foot guard from Iowa has found her groove in the pros, tallying double-doubles in six of her previous seven games, including registering the most assists in a single game with 19 the other night against the Dallas Wings.
But despite her gaudy numbers and the undeniable impact on viewership and ticket sales, popular sports commentator Colin Cowherd believes she's received the short end of the stick with her non-inclusion on the Olympic-bound Team USA and the Skills Competition in the WNBA All-Star weekend.
Caitlin's skill set would be valuable on Team USA
Colin claimed the player Caitlin was before when USA Basketball announced that she would be a part of Team USA in June, but she is no longer who she is now. With 26 pro games under her belt, the former Iowa Hawkeyes icon has grown acclimated to how the game is played at this level and has adjusted accordingly to the point where she's come, in Cowherd's mind, one of the best playmakers in the league right now.
"Caitlyn Clark last night had 19 assists in a game to set a league record. She's a rookie on a bad team and has scored or assisted on 66 points—71% of the Fever's points. That's the most ever in league history. She's breaking records every week," the veteran broadcaster said on "The Herd." "She's arguably the best playmaker in the league, arguably the second-best three-point shooter in the league. That seems valuable in Olympic competition, and she's not on the team."
However, despite her status as one of the league's elite guards, Clark was not even invited to compete in the All-Star Skills Competition.
"Yesterday, they also announced the skills competition for the WNBA All-Star team, and she didn't make that either. She didn't make the three-point shooting contest. You argued she wasn't good for the Olympics because she would be a distraction. But isn't the perfect place to put her in the skills competition where she's one of the best three-point shooters and a highly skilled player? So now, what is it? Pettiness? Gatekeeping? Insular? Dumb?" Colin reasoned with a passion.
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The league is shortchanging itself
Every game Caitlin plays is a must-see, proof of which is the unbelievable attendance at Fever games, whether they're playing at home or on the road. However, with the native of Iowa not in any of the competitions on All-Star Friday night, Colin wondered what the attendance would be like.
"Nobody's going to watch that skills competition without her highlighting Clark and other players. Thank God the WNBA didn't go 0 for 3. They did find it in their heart to put her on the WNBA All-Star team," the hard-hitting commentator quipped.
Women's basketball is experiencing a popularity boost that it hasn't had in decades. However, the league's decision-makers can't seem to get out of their way regarding the most marketable player.
"It's almost hard rooting for women's basketball. It cracks me up how they treat her. If you really think about it, they're trying to get her to pay her dues, but she's the one paying all the fees. She's the reason you're flying private. She's paying for everything, and you want her to pay her dues? It's really ridiculous," Cowherd contended.
Embracing the adage "Strike while the iron is hot," many WNBA fans and advocates fervently champion Clark's cause. With the league's biggest draw absent from All-Star Friday night and in the Olympics, it's almost a cinch that crickets would be heard chirping when the festivities get underway without Caitlin's participation.
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