Caitlin Clark has just wrapped up her third season in the WNBA, yet once again her team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second time. While many of Clark’s fans, including Linda Cohn, don’t see this as a significant issue yet, some outlets like NBC News have started questioning Clark’s status as a basketball great, pointing to her lack of impactful playoff performances in a recent post on X.
Linda Cohn responded strongly to NBC News’s criticism, calling it “crazy” and “stupid,” even saying it “drove her nuts.” She emphasized that Clark is still very early in her career, having played fewer than 100 WNBA games so far. Cohn notably reminded critics that even a legend like Michael Jordan took over 500 games to win his first championship.
In a video posted on her YouTube channel, Cohn stated, “Caitlin Clark has played roughly 90 to 94 games in the WNBA, and she was injured last year. Michael Jordan played more than 500 games before he won his first title. So, can we ease up on the notion that she’s not great until she wins a championship?”
NBC News’s original post suggested that, despite Clark’s megastar status with the Indiana Fever, she has yet to deliver the kind of playoff heroics that define true greatness. Indeed, Clark’s playoff history has been underwhelming. In her rookie 2024 season, the Fever were swept 2-0 in the opening round by the Connecticut Sun, losing the decisive game 87-81.
Throughout that series, Clark averaged 18.0 points, 8.5 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game—respectable numbers for a rookie, though her shooting efficiency suffered under strong defensive pressure. The 2026 playoffs marked her second postseason appearance; she missed the entire 2025 postseason due to injury, during which the Fever were eliminated in the second round by the Las Vegas Aces.
This year’s playoff run ended again in the first round against the Aces, though the Fever pushed it to a deciding Game 3. Clark put up solid numbers with averages of 20.0 points, 9.7 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game, but her shooting efficiency was poor, especially in the final game where she shot 6-of-18 from the field and 3-of-12 from beyond the arc.
While none of Clark’s five playoff games so far have produced the standout moment that would carry her team deeper into the postseason, her career is still in the early stages. Perhaps only after 500 games without a championship will such criticism truly hold more weight.
Fan Take: This debate highlights a key tension in sports—the pressure on young stars to prove themselves in the playoffs versus recognizing their long-term potential. For WNBA fans, following Clark’s growth is exciting because her evolution could help raise the profile of the league and inspire the next generation of players.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
