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ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith had a blunt take on Caitlin Clark's recent rookie games, saying that he expected the former Iowa Hawkeyes star to have a decent but undistinguished performance in her debut season.
He shared his views on ESPN's First Take, where he was joined by Monica McNutt and former NBA player-turned-analyst Tim Legler. Smith grilled the Indiana Fever as well, saying they were not as strong as they think.
He then referenced Clark's recent performance against the New York Liberty on Friday night. The Fever star scored in single digits for the first time since her freshman year in college, failing to make an impact as her team lost (102-66) to the Liberty.
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The ESPN analyst said of Caitlin Clark:
"In the end, Caitlin Clark will be just fine, she will have her rough patches. She is not going to have a lot of great moments, we all know that but when you look at her skill set and how transferable that is to the next level. To me Tim Legler its very simple, shooters do that better than anybody."
He highlighted that Clark's biggest advantage is that she is a great shooter, adding that she will have a rough time in her rookie season but will eventually adjust to the league.
Tim Legler shares piece of advice for struggling Caitlin Clark
Former NBA player and ESPN analyst Tim Legler talked about the transition of Caitlin Clark from the NCAA to the WNBA and issued helpful advice for the struggling Fever star. Legler highlighted that Clark doesn't have a physical advantage over most players in the NBA so the transition period for her would be longer.
He said that the Fever star needs to be smarter in her plays as the methods that used to work at Iowa won't work in the WNBA. He said Clark should keep a cool mind and play through the frustration instead of exhibiting it.
"If I give her one piece of advice, it's this- just try to get a hold of your frustration that you are constantly exhibiting. At the pro level you can't be doing that all the time... you gotta just play through it because if they sense your weakness, they are gonna come at you even harder."
Legler also urged the people to give the former Iowa Hawkeyes star some time to adjust and keep faith in her abilities as she navigates her way into the professional world of basketball.
