"Caitlin Clark is the Luka Doncic equivalent": Fans disagree with Sabrina Ionescu picking herself as WNBA's closest blockbuster trade chip

The prospect of the Indiana Fever trading superstar Caitlin Clark to a rival team at this stage of her career seems far-fetched and inconceivable. In many ways, so was the Dallas Mavericks' decision to trade Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers on Feb. 1. It was a move that left the sports world stunned. At 25 years old, Doncic is hitting his prime and is already one of the league's elite players.

After the blockbuster Luke Doncic-Anthony Davis trade, it seemed only natural for sports fans to draw comparisons to other leagues and ponder a similar trade scenario.

When asked on Sirius XM Sports what she thought the WNBA equivalent to the Doncic trade would be, New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu's answer seemed to surprise a few people.

"It would have to be me maybe getting traded out of New York," Ionescu said. "It would probably have to be me for someone."

Ionescu's comments received some pushback on social media, with many claiming that Caitlin Clark may be the only acceptable answer when comparing Doncic to any WNBA superstar.

"Caitlin Clark is the Luka Doncic equivalent," one fan remarked.

"Does she think she the Luka in the situation. Because trading her for Caitlin would make her the AD of the trade," another wrote.

Fans push back on Sabrina Ionescu's comments regarding Luka Doncic trade. Photo Credit: SiriusXM Sports IG account

"Nah she is AD Caitlin is Luka," another fan posted.

"Sab really loves herself. She's a distant #2 on her own team for goodness sake," a fan commented.

Fans push back on Sabrina Ionescu's comments regarding Luka Doncic trade. Photo Credit: SiriusXM Sports IG account

Me me me me me. No it's Caitlin. Not u," one fan commented.

"The delusion," another wrote.

Fans push back on Sabrina Ionescu's comments regarding Luka Doncic trade. Photo Credit: SiriusXM Sports IG account

Sabrina Ionescu's confidence is admirable, and her self-belief is warranted, considering she is a WNBA champion, a three-time All-Star, a former AP Women's College Basketball Player of the Year and a two-time John R. Wooden Award winner (at Oregon). However, many fans were not willing to place the WNBA star in the same tier as Luka Doncic just yet.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has developed into a global icon over the last year

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark against the Connecticut Sun during the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Photo Credit: Imagn

Over the last 12 months, Caitlin Clark has developed into a global icon. In March, the Iowa star surpassed Pete Maravich's to become the NCAA's all-time scoring leader. In April, she was selected as the first pick by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft.

Clark went on to break a handful of league records as a rookie. Against the Dallas Wings on July 17, she recorded an incredible 19 assists to break the WNBA's single-game assists record. A few months later, she overtook Alyssa Thomas for the most assists in a single season.

In 2024, Clark also became the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double, achieving the feat on two separate occasions.

Caitlin Clark helped guide the Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016, and her popularity among fans also led to sharp spike in the franchise's attendance and viewership figures.