Women's Fastbreak On SI

Fans Roast NBA Coaching Legend George Karl Over Wild JuJu Watkins, Caitlin Clark Take

Former NBA coach George Karl is getting cooked for a take he had regarding two women's basketball icons.
Grant Young|
USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) reacts to a call by officials during the first quarter of their game in the Acrisure Series in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024.
USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) reacts to a call by officials during the first quarter of their game in the Acrisure Series in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. | Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins will be compared to each other for the rest of their respective basketball careers.

This isn't a bad thing, of course, as both players are generational-type talents who are only being compared because they're each expected to become legendary players; not to mention that Watkins is in pursuit of Clark's NCAA record in career points scored.

While Watkins and Clark appear to have mutual respect for one another, there might always be some bitterness between their respective fanbases when someone stirs the pot with a polarizing comparison.

And this was the case on Tuesday when George Karl — who is one of nine coaches in NBA history to have won 1,000 NBA games, made 22 NBA playoff appearances in his coaching career, and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022 — wrote on X, "As good as Caitlin Clark is, I’m thinking Juju Watkins may even be better.

"She looks to have the size, athleticism and talent to even compete in the NBA at some level!"

As could be expected, this take from the former NBA coach ruffled some feathers among Clark fans and other hoop heads.

One fan wrote, "She averages less points than Caitlin Clark did on more shots with a negative assist:turnover ratio for her college career!

"JuJu is great but CC is a once in a generation player!"

"I thought George Karl was delusional before, but never did i think he'd be this delusional," wrote another.

A third added, "OK, someone hacked your account. There is no other explanation for this laughably awful take."

It might be some time before Karl lives this one down within the basketball fanbase.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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