Sue Bird believes Caitlin Clark can reach All-Star status in her eventual WNBA rookie season.
During an appearance on this week’s installment of the “Sports Media with Richard Deitsch” podcast, the four-time WNBA champion — who was named an All-Star 13 times before her retirement in 2022 — said the star Iowa guard can potentially have “a lot of success early” in her professional career, which can begin this summer, should Clark declare for the 2024 WNBA Draft.
“For Caitlin, I think like any player, there is just a natural jump that you have to see what happens when they get there. From size, strength, you’re now playing against adults, who, this is their career,” said Bird, who spent her entire WNBA career with the Seattle Storm.
“I do think she has a chance of having a lot of success early, and I think a lot of it comes down to her long-distance shooting. That is her separator. You’re not really used to guarding people out there.”
Clark, who recently surpassed Kelsey Plum’s NCAA all-time scoring record of 3,527 points, is averaging 32.8 points per game this season and is making 39.9 percent of her 3-pointers.
Though entering the league will likely come with some growing pains for Clark, Bird doesn’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that she can add an All-Star nod to her resume in year one.
“I think if she plays up to her potential, yes, that’s realistic,” Bird said. “… And by the way, that’s not a knock on anyone in the WNBA. It’s going to be hard, but I think she can do it. She’s showing that she has the game.”
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Clark and the Hawkeyes reached the NCAA championship game last spring before they were defeated by the LSU Tigers, 102-85.
The Hawkeyes are currently No. 4 in the country at 23-3, putting them in a great position to get back to the finale again for a shot to earn the program’s first national title.
Should Clark — who has one season of eligibility remaining — choose to enter the WNBA draft, it’s widely projected she could go No. 1 to the Indian Fever.
Iowa will visit the No. 14 Indiana Hoosiers (21-4) on Thursday night.
