"White people are crazy about you" - Serena Williams lauds Caitlin Clark with quirky Larry Bird analogy at ESPYs

Serena Williams hosted this year’s ESPY Awards, showcasing her comedic timing and wit along with her knack for hosting. One moment in particular was the highlight of her monologue.

Williams, who was on stage surrounded by people who wore tennis outfits, praised the WNBA’s No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark, liking her to Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird in the 1980s.

“Caitlin Clark had an amazing year and is nominated for three awards…You are the Larry Bird in that you are an amazing player, you have ties to Indiana, and white people are really crazy about you,” said WIlliams.

Clark and Bird both have ties with Indiana, as the former plays for the Fever, Indiana’s WNBA team, while Bird went to college at Indiana State University, before entering the NBA through the 1978 draft.

The two also have intense rivalries. Bird had a historic rivalry with Los Angeles Lakers' Magic Johnson, which initially started when they were just college players.

On the other hand, Clark has been pitted against Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese, which goes back to their days in the NCAA tournament. Clark and Reese are in a tight race for the WNBA's Rookie of the Year award.

Clark etched her name in NCAA history after breaking the all-time scoring record across men’s and women’s tournaments, scoring 3,951 points in four seasons with the Iowa Hawkeyes. She averaged 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game, making her one of the most outstanding women’s basketball players.

The Clark quip was one of the many jokes Williams said in her opening monologue. She touched on topics such as Kendrick Lamar’s beef with Drake, the sport of cornhole, and other athletes such as Shohei Ohtani.

Among all the female athletes, Caitlin Clark was the biggest name WIlliams dropped in the speech.

Caitlin Clark’s popularity on par with NBA stars, a study says

In a recent research study about Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever rookie is revealed to have better impressions on fans than some of the biggest NBA stars. According to the study, 66% of fans have an overall positive impression of Clark, higher than NBA superstars Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, and Kevin Durant.

The study also revealed that 72% of the participants sympathize with her for the media attention she receives with 60% saying that she has been treated poorly. The study was carried out by Sports Business Journal on July 7.

Clark has been averaging 16.7 points, and 7.6 assists for game to lead the Fever to a 9-12 record.