Jason Whitlock came to Caitlin Clark’s defense on social media, going so far as to say that NBA teams in the Michael Jordan era didn’t keep tabs on the six-time NBA champion as much as WNBA teams keep tabs on the Indiana Fever star.
Whitlock, 57, made the claim on X while responding to a fan’s post that believed Clark is more deserving of winning the WNBA Rookie of the Year award than rival Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky.
The fan commented: “I know you don’t like Caitlin’s turnovers. However, a lot of them are the fault of the players Caitlin passes the ball to as well. Caitlin sees the game much better than her teammates and they just aren’t ready to play at her level.”
Whitlock’s response read: “That’s a gross exaggeration. Clark’s high turnovers are a direct result of the unprecedented defensive attention he receives every game.”
“Jordan hasn’t been defended like Clark. Plus, she’s a risk-taker and gambler because she’s way more skilled than 97% of players.”
Jason Whitlock responded to a fan who claimed Caitlin Clark’s high turnover rate in her rookie year in the WNBA was due to her teammates not being on the “level” of the Fever star.
Whitlock added that Clark is being defended more closely than NBA legend Michael Jordan.
The NBA analyst told X that Jordan “wasn’t defended the same way Clark was” in his rookie year.
Clark’s league-leading 5.5 turnover rate per game has been the focus of fans who aren’t rooting for the 21-year-old guard to win the ROTY award, even though the rookie is just one of two players in the entire league to average at least 15 points (16.7), 5 rebounds (5.9) and 5 assists (7.6).
On Friday, Clark broke the Fever franchise record for most assists in a quarter (7) with nine in Indiana’s surprise 96-85 win over the Phoenix Mercury.
Meanwhile, according to a national panel of voters that rates the Associated Press Power Poll each week, Clark leads Reese in the race for ROTY honors at the season’s midpoint.
Clark and Reese have gained national attention with record-setting rookie seasons, leading them to become the first rookie duo to make an All-Star team since 2014, so it’s no surprise they are leading candidates for the award.
The pair have helped the league achieve huge increases in ratings, attendance and merchandise sales, and with so much basketball still to be played, it can be argued that either would win the award.
Clark (right) faces longtime rival Angel Reese (left) for the WNBA Rookie of the Year award.
But halfway through, the 15-member panel gives Clark the lead in a 9-5 vote. One person did not vote.
According to ESPN, Clark leads the WNBA in points scored (points plus points per assist) with 713. The Fever’s first-round pick also became the first rookie to record a triple-double in a game, doing so in a win over New York.
Reese set the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles with 13, surpassing Candace Parker’s mark of 12 set between the 2009 and 2010 seasons. She leads the league in rebounds with 11.9 per game.
The jury also chose Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson as the unanimous choice for Player of the Year at this point in the season. Wilson felt she should have won the award last year and this year she has been even more dominant. She is averaging 27.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks.
The Aces’ star forward is on track to break the single-season scoring average record. On Sunday, she became the Aces’ all-time leading scorer.