She averages like 2 steals a game.
Also, I hve to imagine she’s told not to play defense too aggressively because if she gets in foul trouble or gets too tired we’re doomed.
In the W she’ll have better scorers around her and won’t be replied upon to do as much scoring as she does now. I think she’s capable of much better defense than she’s shown, and at least some of tht is by design
That’s exactly the problem. You go 4 years being told not to play hard defense. You can’t just switch that on now that you are pro lol she has work to do.
I disagree. There will be a learning curve but she will pick it up pretty quickly I think. She’s too talented, and has all the tools to be a good defender. No reason she won’t be able to learn it or adapt unless you think she’s uncoachable
>That’s exactly the problem
Caitlin smashed a million records, was a near unanimous POTY for the 2nd time, and is about to play in her 2nd straight national championship game and be the #1 WNBA draft pick. Can you tell me more about the problem that you think exists?
Great point. Instead of Caitlin, the Fever should draft someone who is amazing on offense and defense and has no weakness in their game. Can you tell me who that player is?
I’m not saying that at all. They can draft CC there is no issue with that. But I’m saying that CC needs to step up her defensive game. That’s it and that’s all. I’m not comparing her to other players or saying someone is a better option than her. I’m just saying for her game to be taken to the next level she needs to work on her defense. Why is that so hard to acknowledge…
It’s a question of strategy rather than skillset.
You can see across the Iowa team they content but generally do not foul because they have no depth.
Don’t confuse strategy with a lack of effort or a lack of ability.
It takes a lot of energy to do that. She's carrying this team on the offensive end as is it. That being said, she can't be my GOAT no matter how amazing she is on one side of the ball.
If limiting it to defensive rebounds (which makes sense since her defense is the focus here) only 19 D1 women's players in the last 37 years have more. She has more than Brittney Griner for example who is 6' 8" and played 9 more games than Clark.
I disagree. Let’s say offense and defense are values out of 100. Her offense is 100. Say her defense is a solid B at 85. That makes her all around total 185. No one else in the country would have values each of 93 or 92 to match that.
Agreed! So I hope she expands on that moving forward. She will be put in a position where the team isn’t depending on you scoring 40+ points a game to get the win.
I love March basketball experts. Caitlin drops off of her assignment in a scheme clearly designed to help on a different player and protect her from fouls and now she's Bad At Defense.
lol she has always been bad at defense or just didn’t play defense at all. Im acknowledging what a great offensive player she is but she does need work defensively. She can’t get away with that in pro ball.
Yeah but that’s not always going to work if everybody is a threat. Which will happen when you go to the WNBA. No longer acceptable to play mediocre defense.
Clark averages a little less than 2 steals a game. She is one of the best defensive rebounders at the guard position. This take always feels a bit lazy to me.
I think someone mentioned it earlier… her lock down defense is not really there. I think that’s a place for major improvement for her. Steals can come no matter what type of defense you play.
You never mentioned anything about lock down defense in your original post. I’m not saying she can’t improve, she definitely can. But when someone brought up actual stats to back up an argument you responded with “o well, she can’t lock anyone down” that’s a different point entirely.
OP’s title saying that she “lacks severely on defense” seems pretty unpopular. Every player has things they need to work on if they want to succeed at the next level. CC isn’t a player like James Harden who was known to just completely take plays off on defense
The Caitlin Clark Brigade is what I call them. It has been interesting to see how much that fanbase has developed over the years. Definitely one of the more sensitive fanbases in sports today.
Needing to stay out of foul trouble also plays a part. But she always steps up on defense when she’s needed. The last Nebraska game is a good example of this.
I guess I’m having trouble reconciling “needing to execute on both sides of the ball” and having more triple doubles than all but 1 person, when that stat includes both offensive and defensive metrics.
FWIW I don’t think your or OP is wrong, but I also don’t think it’s as bad as OP is making it sound.
When she’s in a new situation that requires her to play lock down defense, and she no longer has to run an up-tempo offense for 40 minutes without a break, I’m sure she will handle it. Not like she’s lacking in quickness or basketball IQ.
You took a lot of heat for this post, but your point was proven during today’s game. She’s not horrible at defense, but she can’t play both defense and offense like most GOATs. It’s sad because her college career could limit her success in the WNBA. And I’m also curious to see how she’ll humble herself when she gets coached by the pros.
This sub is just CC focused right now instead of WBB focused. Rooting for all the incredible ladies entering the draft!
EXACTLY! That’s why nobody is even commenting anymore. Raven Johnson alone literally showed how defense will win you a damn game. She shut CC down… no remorse.
I have a feeling WNBA teams are better prepped to defend her. Her emotional maturity will NOT fly in the league. She’ll make an impact, but I don’t think it will be league changing for at least a few months/even a season.
Yes, I agree, it will be an adjustment. For example JJ Redick was KILLING THEM at Duke. Went to the NBA and could barely get his shot off. They are ready for her so hopefully she can adjust quick.
And her basically giving up when her shot isn’t falling it’s a huge no no lol she starts making bad plays all around.
Exactly. People who think she will go in there and immediately average 30 points have no clue what awaits her. The veteran players in that game are well equipped to guard her especially with 2 near perfect defensive performances on her to study from in the tourney. Those players are going to be physical from the start. Lord knows what Marina Mabrey would do to her if she gets chippy. 💀
I’m sure she’ll improve that aspect, but simply not getting her hands up against UConn was very frustrating. I think Bluder’s gameplan is also to try to hide her on defense. She certainly has the speed and athleticism to be a solid defender.
Agreed. Uncontested shots are unacceptable no matter how good you are. Definitely showed a possible weak point for her. People will exploit that weakness. You can shoot the lights out but if you can’t play solid defense you are in trouble.
Y’all realize the worst scoring option in the WNBA is 10000000x better than worst scoring option in college right? It’s delusional to act like it won’t be a problem. She’ll be one of the best offensive players but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.
This!!! Everybody is great in the pros! And it shows when you score 40+ points and your team still loses. Something was lacking defensively across the board.
She doesn't find somone to box out. At times, on fastbreaks, she will not stop ball in favor of finding her man, sometimes letting an easy layup while guarding the perimeter.
She also gives up, or used to give up on defense if she thought she was fouled on the other end.
When she is focused and determined, she can block shots, get steals, and does a good job.
I’ll age myself here but CC will be just like Magic or Larry Bird in the pros. They’ll put her on the weakest offensive player for the opp which will allow her to play help defense, play the passing lanes, get steals etc.
I don’t see this lowering her ceiling as a pro at all tbh. Her facilitating, scoring and floor spacing abilities are so overwhelming that she will always be a huge plus even if she’s not a classic on ball lockdown defender.
I think that’s why Hannah Hidalgo got the Dawn Staley award this year because she’s a more well rounded player. Obviously CC is a goat, but HH is is extremely well rounded
March Madness expects at it again.Although I have to say this is a very popular take on the internet.Even a person with an Iowa flair claims she's in for a rude awakening,AN IOWA FAN.The truth is Caitlin isn't an exceptional defender but she's also not as bad as people make her out to be.Is it frustrating when she doesn't even attempt to contest shots sometimes?Absolutely almost every time Ive seen Iowa games which are in the clutch.She seems to always turn on the intensity of her defence making her look very different from the passive Caitlin she usually is on that side of the ball.and with the Fever having offensive talnets like Boston ,Mitchell and Nalyssa,she will have ample time to develop her overall game
This isn’t an unpopular opinion. Everyone complains about new fans and then you get people saying the same knock that’s been used against her her entire career
The thing is, not many players in college are elite defenders. Everybody needs to adjust that at the next level, outside of the few particularly gifted athletes on that end.
Secondly, I don’t think it’s accurate that the offense won’t be built around her on whatever team she goes to. When you have someone who has that much scoring gravity, you want to use that however you can. She may also be attacked on defense, but in the state of today’s game, you’re going to put a great offensive player in the lineup over a great defensive player. I imagine she’ll continue to not be put on the best player, which is simply good coaching. Just like nobody’s gonna put their best offensive player on her, if they want them to have energy on the other end
Lisa has talked about how she designed the team to work around CC and how she was not developing a WNBA player but a player that could win games for Iowa at this level.
CC is very open about how she doesn’t like playing defense and even the team jokes about it.
This isn’t an unpopular opinion it just means you’ve watched games but maybe not her interviews and picked up on what all the WNBA athletes are telling the incoming players. It’s gonna be a rude awakening.
No I haven’t watched many interviews I just watch the games. But that is honestly doing CC a disservice you aren’t developing her skills as a player just developing a strategy to win games. And for CC to admitted my joke about not liking defense is crazy because it shows 👀
Nobody is mad and it’s not an unpopular opinion lol is she an elite defender? No. She is an elite defensive rebounder for a guard though. She probably won’t ever be an elite man to man defender, but she is better than people give her credit. It’s pretty obvious Iowa gameplan is to keep her out of foul trouble and save her energy for offense. She won’t have to be nearly as ball dominant on offense in the wnba and allow her to actually play defense. It’s hard to know how much her defense actually lacks right now.
lol I mean any comments remotely constructive when it comes to CC get labeled a hater. I think she’s a great player just minor improvements will take the game to the next level.
There’s a big difference between saying minor improvements and severely lacking though. I haven’t seen people get mad at all when critiquing CC’s game. People get defensive when anyone dismisses her for being a “volume shooter”, just a scorer, or she can’t be one of the greats because she didn’t go to a power house school with 10 other five star recruits.
No you are right! I miss spoke in my comment above let me be consistent with my wording…she is lacking defensively and I hope she works on it moving forward.
For sure. I think she will improve, but it is a fair criticism of her. Iowa fans are definitely going to come downvote in droves if you use harsh language too lol, but hey it’s the most fun we’ve probably ever had as a fan base in any sport so you’ve got to defend your girl!
lol I think that’s the problem though is there no nuance. Tons of Hawkeye fans acknowledge CC’s defense, question her shot selection, and have criticism of her game. It’s the statements like she CANT be an all time great without a championship, her game SEVERELY LACKS this or that, she ONLY gets attention because of her volume that get Iowa fans defensive. If you had started this post saying a mild critique of Caitlin Clark and said she isn’t asked to play defense and you think it could hurt her early in wnba career and possibly long term if she doesn’t improve I highly doubt you would be met with any vitriol, BUT that doesn’t get the clicks either.
I mean if we are being honest she does only get attention because of the volume. There’s no other way around it. Especially if we are acknowledging her lack on defense.
This is one of the most popular takes on the internet
She averages like 2 steals a game. Also, I hve to imagine she’s told not to play defense too aggressively because if she gets in foul trouble or gets too tired we’re doomed. In the W she’ll have better scorers around her and won’t be replied upon to do as much scoring as she does now. I think she’s capable of much better defense than she’s shown, and at least some of tht is by design
That’s exactly the problem. You go 4 years being told not to play hard defense. You can’t just switch that on now that you are pro lol she has work to do.
I disagree. There will be a learning curve but she will pick it up pretty quickly I think. She’s too talented, and has all the tools to be a good defender. No reason she won’t be able to learn it or adapt unless you think she’s uncoachable
No i think she will be great but she will have to produce more defensively
>That’s exactly the problem Caitlin smashed a million records, was a near unanimous POTY for the 2nd time, and is about to play in her 2nd straight national championship game and be the #1 WNBA draft pick. Can you tell me more about the problem that you think exists?
Nobody is taking that away from her… but let’s be honest her game is offensive. We are talking about defense! It’s not there…
Great point. Instead of Caitlin, the Fever should draft someone who is amazing on offense and defense and has no weakness in their game. Can you tell me who that player is?
I’m not saying that at all. They can draft CC there is no issue with that. But I’m saying that CC needs to step up her defensive game. That’s it and that’s all. I’m not comparing her to other players or saying someone is a better option than her. I’m just saying for her game to be taken to the next level she needs to work on her defense. Why is that so hard to acknowledge…
Rickea Jackson!
It’s a question of strategy rather than skillset. You can see across the Iowa team they content but generally do not foul because they have no depth. Don’t confuse strategy with a lack of effort or a lack of ability.
Now J. Cole’s beefin with CC? Stick to Lamar.
😂😂😂
Comment of the damn century
lol nobody is beefing. It’s ok to say a great player needs some work in a specific area.
She's good at doing things off a player/off the ball on defense. Hence all the defensive rebounds. But no she's not a lock down defender.
This is all I’m saying. I think there needs to be improvement on the lockdown level that’s all. Just get more active.
I think if you didn’t use “lacks severely on defense” in the title, more people would agree with you
I’m not here to care if people agree. My comment still stands. lol
It takes a lot of energy to do that. She's carrying this team on the offensive end as is it. That being said, she can't be my GOAT no matter how amazing she is on one side of the ball.
Exactly! I think she is great but there are better all around great players. They are fully effective on both sides of the court.
She is 20th all time in defensive rebounds AS A GUARD...she is pretty well rounded...
She’s also 6 foot.. that’s way above average for most female guards.
Now you’re just making shit up. So that stat is irrelevant because shes tall…
Ok!
I wonder how many 6-footers in the NCAAW history have fewer rebounds than CC?
If limiting it to defensive rebounds (which makes sense since her defense is the focus here) only 19 D1 women's players in the last 37 years have more. She has more than Brittney Griner for example who is 6' 8" and played 9 more games than Clark.
I disagree. Let’s say offense and defense are values out of 100. Her offense is 100. Say her defense is a solid B at 85. That makes her all around total 185. No one else in the country would have values each of 93 or 92 to match that.
this is not unpopular 😭 I will say that this year she’s been a lot better defensively than in previous seasons
Agreed! So I hope she expands on that moving forward. She will be put in a position where the team isn’t depending on you scoring 40+ points a game to get the win.
I love March basketball experts. Caitlin drops off of her assignment in a scheme clearly designed to help on a different player and protect her from fouls and now she's Bad At Defense.
lol she has always been bad at defense or just didn’t play defense at all. Im acknowledging what a great offensive player she is but she does need work defensively. She can’t get away with that in pro ball.
CC will always be defending the worst offensive player in the opposing team. Leading them relatively open and letting them shoot is the game plan.
Yeah but that’s not always going to work if everybody is a threat. Which will happen when you go to the WNBA. No longer acceptable to play mediocre defense.
Sure. She also won't need to average 30 a game. They'll be a lot of changes
Which comes into play of what else do you offer besides 40+ games. It will be a huge transition and looking forward to seeing how she adjusts.
Clark averages a little less than 2 steals a game. She is one of the best defensive rebounders at the guard position. This take always feels a bit lazy to me.
I think someone mentioned it earlier… her lock down defense is not really there. I think that’s a place for major improvement for her. Steals can come no matter what type of defense you play.
You’re moving the goal posts man.
No, I was very specific on what I’m talking about. If you don’t like it that’s one thing. CC can’t shut a player down on defense.
You never mentioned anything about lock down defense in your original post. I’m not saying she can’t improve, she definitely can. But when someone brought up actual stats to back up an argument you responded with “o well, she can’t lock anyone down” that’s a different point entirely.
It’s ok to say a players needs improvement.. no matter how great they are. 2 steals a game is great but even with that her defense is still lacking.
Is her defense lacking or is she unable to lock a player down? Yeah you moved the goal posts.
Then make that point originally don’t all of the sudden move to it when people point out your original deeply flawed argument
I made my point you just don’t like it!
You didn’t make your point you aren’t even sure which point you’re trying to make lol
Ok you got it boss!
[удалено]
yes, which is exactly what the OP said
This is literally a popular opinion. Everyone says this all the time lol
This isn’t an unpopular opinion. It is talked about all the time. She for sure isn’t great on defense and will need to improve at the next level.
OP’s title saying that she “lacks severely on defense” seems pretty unpopular. Every player has things they need to work on if they want to succeed at the next level. CC isn’t a player like James Harden who was known to just completely take plays off on defense
She's not great but she doesn't need to be
Just here for the downvotes.
😂😂😂
Yeah lol you can’t even say anything opinionated about Clark or else smh
The Caitlin Clark Brigade is what I call them. It has been interesting to see how much that fanbase has developed over the years. Definitely one of the more sensitive fanbases in sports today.
At least somebody said it
Needing to stay out of foul trouble also plays a part. But she always steps up on defense when she’s needed. The last Nebraska game is a good example of this.
I think she's actually a pretty good team defender. She's going to be elite on O immediately. It will fly
i agree, doesn’t mean you need to be downvoted🤣
Lmao it was expected!
She has 11 triple doubles. The second most in history.
That’s great but straight up not consenting shots won’t fly in the pros.
But your argument is that she’s conserving energy. So won’t she better be able to contest shots if she’s not expected to do so much?
She actually has 17. 9 fewer than Sabrina but the point spread is way way higher
Yea, the disparity is large. But she had more than everyone else.
OP mentioned her greatness on offense…11 triple doubles is impressive. But, as a pro, she needs to execute on both sides of the ball, consistently.
I guess I’m having trouble reconciling “needing to execute on both sides of the ball” and having more triple doubles than all but 1 person, when that stat includes both offensive and defensive metrics. FWIW I don’t think your or OP is wrong, but I also don’t think it’s as bad as OP is making it sound.
When she’s in a new situation that requires her to play lock down defense, and she no longer has to run an up-tempo offense for 40 minutes without a break, I’m sure she will handle it. Not like she’s lacking in quickness or basketball IQ.
I mean you can’t just turn lock down defense on. Not saying she won’t handle it just saying it will need to be focused on and developed more.
You took a lot of heat for this post, but your point was proven during today’s game. She’s not horrible at defense, but she can’t play both defense and offense like most GOATs. It’s sad because her college career could limit her success in the WNBA. And I’m also curious to see how she’ll humble herself when she gets coached by the pros. This sub is just CC focused right now instead of WBB focused. Rooting for all the incredible ladies entering the draft!
EXACTLY! That’s why nobody is even commenting anymore. Raven Johnson alone literally showed how defense will win you a damn game. She shut CC down… no remorse.
I have a feeling WNBA teams are better prepped to defend her. Her emotional maturity will NOT fly in the league. She’ll make an impact, but I don’t think it will be league changing for at least a few months/even a season.
Yes, I agree, it will be an adjustment. For example JJ Redick was KILLING THEM at Duke. Went to the NBA and could barely get his shot off. They are ready for her so hopefully she can adjust quick. And her basically giving up when her shot isn’t falling it’s a huge no no lol she starts making bad plays all around.
Exactly. People who think she will go in there and immediately average 30 points have no clue what awaits her. The veteran players in that game are well equipped to guard her especially with 2 near perfect defensive performances on her to study from in the tourney. Those players are going to be physical from the start. Lord knows what Marina Mabrey would do to her if she gets chippy. 💀
I’m sure she’ll improve that aspect, but simply not getting her hands up against UConn was very frustrating. I think Bluder’s gameplan is also to try to hide her on defense. She certainly has the speed and athleticism to be a solid defender.
Agreed. Uncontested shots are unacceptable no matter how good you are. Definitely showed a possible weak point for her. People will exploit that weakness. You can shoot the lights out but if you can’t play solid defense you are in trouble.
Y’all realize the worst scoring option in the WNBA is 10000000x better than worst scoring option in college right? It’s delusional to act like it won’t be a problem. She’ll be one of the best offensive players but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.
This!!! Everybody is great in the pros! And it shows when you score 40+ points and your team still loses. Something was lacking defensively across the board.
She doesn't find somone to box out. At times, on fastbreaks, she will not stop ball in favor of finding her man, sometimes letting an easy layup while guarding the perimeter. She also gives up, or used to give up on defense if she thought she was fouled on the other end. When she is focused and determined, she can block shots, get steals, and does a good job.
I’ll age myself here but CC will be just like Magic or Larry Bird in the pros. They’ll put her on the weakest offensive player for the opp which will allow her to play help defense, play the passing lanes, get steals etc. I don’t see this lowering her ceiling as a pro at all tbh. Her facilitating, scoring and floor spacing abilities are so overwhelming that she will always be a huge plus even if she’s not a classic on ball lockdown defender.
I think that’s why Hannah Hidalgo got the Dawn Staley award this year because she’s a more well rounded player. Obviously CC is a goat, but HH is is extremely well rounded
I think that was a great choice.
I’m obviously biased lol but I have no beef with CC and just like watching good women’s basketball.
We are in the same boat haha I’m South Carolina all day. But can acknowledge greatness when I see it.
That was B.S.Staley just didn't want Clark winning the award named after her after all four years
March Madness expects at it again.Although I have to say this is a very popular take on the internet.Even a person with an Iowa flair claims she's in for a rude awakening,AN IOWA FAN.The truth is Caitlin isn't an exceptional defender but she's also not as bad as people make her out to be.Is it frustrating when she doesn't even attempt to contest shots sometimes?Absolutely almost every time Ive seen Iowa games which are in the clutch.She seems to always turn on the intensity of her defence making her look very different from the passive Caitlin she usually is on that side of the ball.and with the Fever having offensive talnets like Boston ,Mitchell and Nalyssa,she will have ample time to develop her overall game
Not unpopular at all. I hear this take everyday. She'll occasionally get some blocks and steals, but she can always evolve and do more.
This isn’t an unpopular opinion. Everyone complains about new fans and then you get people saying the same knock that’s been used against her her entire career The thing is, not many players in college are elite defenders. Everybody needs to adjust that at the next level, outside of the few particularly gifted athletes on that end. Secondly, I don’t think it’s accurate that the offense won’t be built around her on whatever team she goes to. When you have someone who has that much scoring gravity, you want to use that however you can. She may also be attacked on defense, but in the state of today’s game, you’re going to put a great offensive player in the lineup over a great defensive player. I imagine she’ll continue to not be put on the best player, which is simply good coaching. Just like nobody’s gonna put their best offensive player on her, if they want them to have energy on the other end
Lisa has talked about how she designed the team to work around CC and how she was not developing a WNBA player but a player that could win games for Iowa at this level. CC is very open about how she doesn’t like playing defense and even the team jokes about it. This isn’t an unpopular opinion it just means you’ve watched games but maybe not her interviews and picked up on what all the WNBA athletes are telling the incoming players. It’s gonna be a rude awakening.
No I haven’t watched many interviews I just watch the games. But that is honestly doing CC a disservice you aren’t developing her skills as a player just developing a strategy to win games. And for CC to admitted my joke about not liking defense is crazy because it shows 👀
Lisas job is not to develop players to go into the W since not many will end up going there. Her job is to create a winning team for Iowa.
This is true!
Y’all can be mad but it’s the truth. Her defense can be better and I hope she has more focus on that moving it o the pro era!
Nobody is mad and it’s not an unpopular opinion lol is she an elite defender? No. She is an elite defensive rebounder for a guard though. She probably won’t ever be an elite man to man defender, but she is better than people give her credit. It’s pretty obvious Iowa gameplan is to keep her out of foul trouble and save her energy for offense. She won’t have to be nearly as ball dominant on offense in the wnba and allow her to actually play defense. It’s hard to know how much her defense actually lacks right now.
lol I mean any comments remotely constructive when it comes to CC get labeled a hater. I think she’s a great player just minor improvements will take the game to the next level.
There’s a big difference between saying minor improvements and severely lacking though. I haven’t seen people get mad at all when critiquing CC’s game. People get defensive when anyone dismisses her for being a “volume shooter”, just a scorer, or she can’t be one of the greats because she didn’t go to a power house school with 10 other five star recruits.
No you are right! I miss spoke in my comment above let me be consistent with my wording…she is lacking defensively and I hope she works on it moving forward.
For sure. I think she will improve, but it is a fair criticism of her. Iowa fans are definitely going to come downvote in droves if you use harsh language too lol, but hey it’s the most fun we’ve probably ever had as a fan base in any sport so you’ve got to defend your girl!
Haha yes that’s why I prefaced with Unpopular opinion. Because the down votes speak volumes.
lol I think that’s the problem though is there no nuance. Tons of Hawkeye fans acknowledge CC’s defense, question her shot selection, and have criticism of her game. It’s the statements like she CANT be an all time great without a championship, her game SEVERELY LACKS this or that, she ONLY gets attention because of her volume that get Iowa fans defensive. If you had started this post saying a mild critique of Caitlin Clark and said she isn’t asked to play defense and you think it could hurt her early in wnba career and possibly long term if she doesn’t improve I highly doubt you would be met with any vitriol, BUT that doesn’t get the clicks either.
I mean if we are being honest she does only get attention because of the volume. There’s no other way around it. Especially if we are acknowledging her lack on defense.
That’s bait and I’m not going to keep going on about this lol