Jason Whitlock made a strange comparison between Caitlin Clark and Pete Rose following the legendary baseball star’s death.
The Cincinnati Reds legend passed away on Monday at the age of 83. His death opened Pandora’s box of what his life and career will be remembered for.
While discussing Rose’s devotional love for the sport, Whitlock compared her dedication to that of WNBA rookie Clark.
“When I think about Pete Rose, I understand why there is so much passion for Caitlin Clark,” Whitlock said on her YouTube channel. “Because when Caitlin Clark plays basketball, it reminds you of Pete Rose playing baseball.”
‘When you see Caitlin Clark, it’s like ‘Oh my God!’ ‘She puts everything in and will risk everything to play basketball and achieve her goals,’ he continued.
Jason Whitlock made a strange comparison between Pete Rose and Caitlin Clark
Rose’s death earlier this week inspired Whitlock to compare her dedication to Clark’s.
Clark’s rookie campaign inspired a massive increase in WNBA viewership and attendance numbers, largely due to her rivalry with fellow rookie Angel Reese.
On the court, Clark proved to be the best in her class by earning the Rookie of the Year award and finishing among the top players in MVP voting.
Nicknamed Charlie Hustle, Rose played most of his career with Cincinnati and was part of their dominant era in the 1970s. As a Reds model, Rose holds the league record for most hits with 4,256.
While many described him as an adrenaline junkie, Rose was known for his gambling problem, which MLV warned him about in the 1980s.
After the league investigated his bets, Rose was eventually banned from playing baseball, even though his bets were only for an extra boost in games. Rick Reilly of The Washington Post wrote that Rose didn’t care about the money but only “the juice.”
While there is no indication that Clark would risk his basketball career for off-court vices, Whitlock notes, “My God, he has a passion for the game.” “She’s willing to risk everything: her reputation, getting poked in the eye, getting hit by everyone on the court, and we love that and we respect that about her.”
‘That’s why there’s so much energy and people trying to protect Caitlin Clark at all costs, that’s why her fan base is out of control and angry. Because it reminds us of what sports used to be like.’
The controversial analyst then listed NBA greats, stating Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant and how they “played the game like money didn’t matter.”
“This is what Pete Rose stood for,” Whitlock said. “And it’s a torch that has now been handed to a 22-year-old girl from Iowa.”