"LeBronesque with Dunk Contest" - Skip Bayless fires shot at Caitlin Clark for bailing on 3-pt contest giving LeBron James analogy

WNBA All-Star Caitlin Clark was the latest athlete to find herself on the receiving end of one of Skin Bayless' direct jabs. The well-known TV presenter took a shot at Clark for passing on the opportunity to compete in the WNBA 3-point contest.

Bayless compared Clark's decision to LeBron James' unwillingness to compete in the NBA's slam dunk contest over his career.

"Surprised & disappointed Caitlin Clark didn't participate in last night's 3-Point Contest. She is the 'Steph Curry of women's basketball.' But she said she has played for a year straight and that it's hard to just show up and shoot off a rack," Bayless wrote on X.

On top of that, Bayless found a way to take a dig at the Los Angeles Lakers' star, LeBron James, concurrently.

"LeBronesque w the Dunk Contest," added Bayless.

Skip Bayless continued his criticism of Clark with a follow-up post on his X account:

"Maybe the biggest reason Caitlin Clark avoided last night's 3-Point Contest was, she's been a 3-point slump the last 4 games."

Clark has been inconsistent from the 3-point line over her last four games, shooting 11-for-36 from behind the arc. That's slightly below her season average (33%) and her college average (37.8%).

Caitlin Clark opted out of the WNBA 3-point contest due to a grueling year of basketball

Caitlin Clark shoots for the basket during the second half against the USA Women's National Team at Footprint Center. Photo Credit: Imagn

Upon being asked about her refusal to participate in this year's 3-point contest in Phoenix, Caitlin Clark cited needing a break as one of the reasons she chose to opt out of the event.

"I think just rest. I’ve been playing basketball for a year straight, it’s not an easy thing to just show up to and shoot off of a rack ... I need a break, and I need to take some time for myself to enjoy what I want to do," Clark said via the New York Post

It has been a busy few months for Clark, who seems to be in the headlines week after week.

The 22-year-old led the Iowa Hawkeyes to the NCAA championship in April, falling just short of a title after losing to South Carolina. She had a memorable season, becoming the all-time leading NCAA scorer.

Just over a week later, Clark was selected first overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Clark has featured in 26 games for the Fever, averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.5 steals.

Against the New York Liberty on July 6, she became the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists.