Jason Whitlock sees NBA players contending with Caitlin Clark for "face of basketball" honors

Sports columnist Jason Whitlock doubled down on Caitlin Clark’s impact on basketball, suggesting that NBA players might vie with the WNBA rookie for the title of the "face of basketball." He also offered suggestions on how NBA players could strengthen their partnership with the women’s basketball star.

In the latest episode of his show "Fearless," Whitlock argued that Caitlin Clark could be the biggest draw in basketball at the moment. Clark recently made her WNBA pre-season debut, which drew a sellout crowd.

“The other thing that I think will be different about this next generation of NBA stars, at least this year, in the next year, for the next two years, at least if not long, I think they're gonna be competing with Caitlin Clark in terms of like what brands are using in commercials, and just pushing who is the face of basketball, more so than the face of the NBA,” Whitlock said.

Whitlock said he expects brands to seize the opportunity to make Caitlin Clark the face of basketball and suggested that agents representing NBA players should establish a connection with the former Iowa Hawkeyes star.

“If I'm Ant-Man (Anthony Edwards) and I really want to be the face of the league, I pretend like I'm the biggest Caitin Clark fan on the planet and try to bait marketers and brands [by saying], ‘Hey, put me and Caitlin Clark in a commercial.’”

Recently, Clark signed a lucrative shoe deal with Nike, which was reported to be worth more than eight figures.

Clark has become a household name with her impact on the women's basketball scene. The 2024 WNBA Draft, where she was selected first overall, garnered a record-high 2.4 million viewers, quadrupling last season's viewership.

Looking at Caitlin Clark’s WNBA pre-season debut

Caitlin Clark made her WNBA debut for the Indiana Fever against the Dallas Wings on Friday night. Despite the team's 79-76 loss, Clark lived up to the hype.

The two-time NCAA women's basketball player of the year ended the game with a team-high 21 points, which included six three-pointers, three rebounds and two assists. However, she struggled with rookie jitters as she committed five turnovers.

"My biggest goal coming into tonight was to continue to be myself, have fun playing basketball, be aggressive – I thought that’s what I did," Clark said after the game. "I think [I have] a lot to be proud of."

"It's a big milestone for somebody that's always dreamed of playing in the WNBA," Clark said.

Clark will make her regular-season debut against the Connecticut Sun on May 14.