NBA Champion Sends Strong Message After Caitlin Clark's WNBA Debut

Caitlin Clark made her WNBA debut on Tuesday night, finishing with 20 points and 10 turnovers on 5/15 shooting. While this was not the performance that Clark was looking for in her debut, few players in any professional sport burst on the scene and dominate the game right away.

The expectations are of course through the roof for Clark after what she was able to accomplish at the collegiate level, but there is almost always an adjustment period when going from that level to next. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), 2018 Golden State Warriors champion Nick Young called out people for tearing Clark down after her debut:

If the WNBA want bigger ratings build clark up and stop trying to tear her down .. y’all trying to Lonzo Ball her so bad
— Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) May 15, 2024

Young compared the treatment to what Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball experienced early in his career. Ball was selected second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers out of UCLA, and was touted by many as the savior of that franchise. It didn’t work out that way for Ball and the Lakers, as he was ultimately dealt to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Anthony Davis trade, but Ball still developed into a very solid NBA player before his injuries.

Young’s point is that people need to allow players to grow, especially when they have the opportunity to really move the game forward in the way that Clark does.

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