Dawn Staley’s Limelight Was Snatched to Elevate Caitlin Clark Despite South Carolina’s Historic Win, NBA Veteran Rants

Caitlin Clark was arguably THE star of the 2024 NCAA season, irrespective of who was on the winning side. With her record-breaking performances, the Big3 League’s $5 million offer, and the possibility of claiming the NCAA championship, Clark constantly made headlines throughout the year. So much so that even after Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks won the championship, the cameras were looking for the Iowa Hawkeyes’ guard. However, former Warriors head coach Mark Jackson has issues with this, which he expressed on his recent podcast show.

Strikingly, the 59-year-old highlighted how in the moments of fame for Caitlin, Dawn Staley did not get her due recognition. “South Carolina is a story. I don’t need your cameras panning to Caitlin Clark. And this is not Caitlin Clark hate. This is just the way you do TV. The story is South Carolina, Dawn Staley, and that undefeated basketball team that just made history. That’s the story,” Mark emphatically stated on his podcast, throwing light on the Gamecocks’ legendary head coach, who led her team to a 38-0 unbeaten season.

However, it is not as if Mark has an issue with Caitlin Clark getting her well-deserved fame. He himself believes that she should have received the tribute and the ovation she earned for her impact this season. “Give her that 15 seconds and shower her with affection, emotions, and acknowledgment,” the ex-Knicks star said. His dismissal was focused on the broadcasting, claiming how they did all of this but forgot to capture the major highlight; the winning team.

“Nowhere in the world do we follow the losing locker room or the losing player. We don’t do it for LeBron James, we don’t do it for Steph Curry, we don’t do it for Tim Duncan. We haven’t done it. The story was Dawn Staley in South Carolina. So it was frustrating to see that,” he emphasized, feeling disappointed for South Carolina.

One of the primary reasons could be that Clark had her best college basketball season this year. She averaged 31.6 points, with 7.4 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game. Moreover, the 22-year-old also became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer in college basketball history with 3,685 career points. But that’s not all.

Why has Caitlin Clark been such a big deal recently?

Her career-high 49 points also came this season itself in a game against Michigan on February 16. Iowa Hawkeyes were a strong contender for the 2024 NCAA championship majorly because of Caitlin Clark, and all eyes were set on her. And now, all these achievements, alongside the new-found popularity, have brought in the possibilities for her, seizing perks such as the $5 million Big3 League offer.

However, there has been no official confirmation of the offer yet, as Caitlin is also expected to be the No.1 WNBA Draft pick in a few days. And there are high hopes from players like herself and Angel Reese, with fans hoping for the revival of the league. At the moment, it’s evident how the WNBA is planning to raise the fees for WNBA athletes, a move that came to counter the Big 3 offer.

Do you think that Caitlin Clark is rightfully getting all the fame she deserves? Or was South Carolina wrongfully overshadowed? Let us know your views below!

Read More: Caitlin Clark Leads, Angel Reese Misses Out – Explore Top 5 WNBA Draft Projections