Caitlin Clark is on a mission to push her team as far as she can in the playoffs. But en route, she is making history in almost every Indiana Fever game. The rookie is on pace to become the first player in league history to average at least 18 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. And while she’s known for her deep threes, it’s another ability of hers that has left Cynthia Cooper in awe.
In the last Fever game that saw them win 104–100 overtime over the Atlanta Dream, Clark hit an impossible fading three-pointer from the corner. Atlanta was all over her, but the 22-year-old pulled it off like it was nothing. “I’m sitting there like…oh my god,” Cooper told the ‘Come And Talk 2 Me’ podcast hosts. But this jaw-dropping moment is still not what impresses the WNBA legend. “But she’s so crafty. This is what people don’t know about Caitlin.”
Cooper continued, “She’s not just a three-point shooter, she’s a great passer. Not a mediocre passer, not so-so, she is a great passer. But also, she’s crafty. I saw her get the ball, lay it up on the back door, cut like they waiting for her to pop out on the three-point line. Boom, she slips back door, gets that bucket.”
Indiana posted a clip of Caitlin Clark dishing out a beautiful go-ahead pass from half-court to NaLyssa Smith for an easy layup. The X post went viral, further adding to the claim of Clark’s ability to not just score but also assist whenever needed. She finished the game vs the Dream with 26 points and 12 assists, with that double-double setting a franchise record for most double-doubles in a season. And somehow, that’s still not all.
Clark broke yet another rookie record with the most rebounds by a rookie guard in WNBA history, per StatMamba. She already holds the record for the most threes by a rookie in a season, so is it any wonder Cooper can’t get enough of the Iowa sensation? “She is crafty and she’s just a rookie. That level of greatness, that level of play on a consistent basis as a rookie puts you up in the upper echelon of any league, definitely the W,” the WNBA icon continued.
And while this unprecedented rate of success has earned her some hate from around the league, Cooper has firmly stood by Clark through it all.
Game recognizes game, as Cynthia Cooper openly roots for Caitlin Clark
If we look back to the WNBA’s inaugural season, Cynthia Cooper burst onto the scene as an instant superstar. She won back-to-back MVPs in 1997 and 1998, and Caitlin Clark looks ready to do the same. While the latter has the Rookie of the Year award to compete for now, many would say she’s no less than an MVP. And Cooper agrees.
Amid the strange drama that seems to have erupted between the Fever guard and Cooper’s former teammate Sheryl Swoopes, another WNBA great, Cynthia Cooper has stood firm by Clark’s side. Talking to a fan, the veteran coach told them on video, “I appreciate you for repping Caitlin Clark, who’s the absolute truth! You can see her creating for others, shooting her shot, getting to the free throw line. She’s making everyone better–she’s making me better and I’m sitting on the sideline!”
Cooper has always been a Caitlin Clark supporter, and in the podcast, she also refers to how players like her and Angel Reese are helping bring more attention to the game. As a generational player, this is just the beginning for the Indiana Fever rookie!
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