Sue Bird: Caitlin Clark could be an All-Star next year

Caitlin Clark's transcendent play, from her signature three-point shooting to her unique skills as a come-ahead passer, has captivated basketball fans from Maine to California. A question that often comes up is how her game will translate to the next level. In a extensive interview of 60 minutes which will air in full on the 'Sports Media Podcast' on Thursday, WNBA legend Sue Bird said Clark can become a WNBA All-Star in her freshman year.

“I think if she reaches her potential, that is indeed realistic,” Bird said. “And that's not a knock on anyone in the WNBA, by the way. It's going to be hard, but I think she can do it. You have to see what happens when they get there. You're playing against adults now and this is their career. But I do think she has a chance to have a lot of success early, and I think a lot of it is due to her long-range shooting. That's her separator. You're not really used to guarding people out there.”

Bird went on to say that the era Clark finds herself in complements her playing style. Another WNBA legend, Diana Taurasi, “could have played like Caitlin is playing now,” Bird said, but didn't mature in an era to play like Clark is playing now.

Players in the WNBA just aren't used to guarding shooters that far, Bird said. Bird retired in 2022 after a 20-year WNBA career.

Clark has the option of returning to Iowa next year because of the extra year of eligibility thanks to an NCAA waiver for student-athletes affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. But if she chooses to go pro and is selected by the Indiana Fever with the No. 1 pick, “that's a really good selection for her,” Bird said.

“She'll immediately team up with two really good post players (Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith) who will complement her,” Bird continued. “There's a precedent for people coming out of college and coming in and playing great, players like Candace Parker, Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi and others. But she still has to come in and do it and there will be some growing pains, just like all those players I just mentioned.

Bird spent time with Clark in Iowa City last December as part of an episode of hers ESPN+ Original Series,“Sue's Places,” a 10-episode college basketball travelogue produced in association with Omaha Productions and Words + Pictures, features Bird shooting across the country to learn about the history and traditions of college basketball. (The Clark episode ran on February 14). The fourth-ranked Hawkeyes play at No. 14 Indiana on Thursday night (8 p.m. ET, Peacock).

When asked why Clark had captured the imagination of the broader basketball audience during her time at Iowa, Bird said it was a combination of her long-range shooting and being one of the faces of women's basketball in such an emerging time.

“There are two that stand out the most about her, and let's start with her long-range shooting,” Bird said. “The only thing that negates people's obsession with dunking when it comes to comparing men's and women's basketball is deep shooting. If we want to call it logo 3, let's call it that. For whatever reason, men especially, don't hate it. There's nothing to hate on because it is what it is. So I think part of her game is making people cheer for it. I think it's fascinating too, right? The way she plays with long-distance shooting is fascinating. Everyone is interested in it. So that's part of it.”

Bird added: “I think the other part is that women's basketball is having a moment and it needed someone to work with at that time. So Caitlin, based on the year she was born and doing what she's doing now in college, is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this moment. There are other players in college basketball right now that you can feel excitement about. JuJu Watkins is doing great at USC and could be one of the best players ever. I don't say that loosely; it's because of the way she starts her career.

GO DEEPER

Caitlin Clark's scoring record makes her historic. Her greatness makes her unparalleled

Clark's decision on whether to leave Iowa has become a major debate in the sports media and among sports fans. Recently, former WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes discussed that potential newcomers like Clark and LSU's Angel Reese will need time to develop in the WNBA because it is a veteran league.

When asked what she would do if she were Clark, Bird didn't hesitate.

“If I'm Caitlin Clark, I'm from college,” Bird said.

Required reading

(Photo: Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)