You ever seen someone walk into a league, flip the whole script, get body-checked on live TV, and still boost revenue like they’re prime Shaq in sneakers with dollar signs on them? Well, Caitlin Clark is doing exactly that—and Paul George has some things to say about it. But before we get into PG-13’s take and how Clark’s absence is making ticket prices collapse like the Lakers’ playoff hopes without AD, let’s break this all down.

Co-hosts on Paul George’s Podcast P recently came through with a spicy nugget: “The average ticket price dropped from $137 to $80 for the four games Caitlin Clark is going to miss.” That’s a whopping 71% crash, people. If you’re doing the math, that’s the kind of economic nosedive we haven’t seen since Russell Westbrook’s three-point percentage in Oklahoma.

And that’s all because Caitlin Clark is not playing. No wonder PG called it what it is: “Talk about aura—that’s a hell of an aura!” Now, sure, she’s in her sophomore year. But when your injury makes prices plummet like it’s Black Friday at Madison Square Garden, you’re not just a player—you’re an event. Let’s be honest, at this point Clark might as well show up in a flak jacket. Whether it’s Chennedy Carter shoulder-checking her like she’s trying out for an NFL linebacker spot, or defenders getting overly physical like they’re auditioning for a reboot of “Streetball: No Blood, No Foul,” the league’s been rough on her.

Clark got rocked so hard against the Sky that the WNBA had to go back, watch the tape, and retroactively hand out a flagrant foul. That’s like if the refs in the 2007 Suns-Spurs series actually admitted they messed up.

Paul George didn’t sugarcoat it either: “She just has such a bounty on her back, man. We’ve seen Caitlin Clark get absolutely mauled by some of these players—and it’s borderline technical, not basketball-type plays.”

PG Keeps It Real on the WNBA Veterans

Paul George also made it clear—this isn’t just hate, it’s years of grind meeting instant stardom. “You gotta put it in perspective—they’ve been grinding to grow the sport to the world, the viewerships. And then you have this girl (Clark) that comes along from college and is an instant change… She’s being handed pretty much the face of the league. Whether they think she deserves it or not, there’s going to be girls that are offended by that.”

But PG didn’t stop there: “I think she’s handled it great… She’s performing again this year. I think she’s the rightful face of the WNBA—up there with A’ja Wilson, with Napheesa Collier, with still some of the legends: Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum… The new rising star Paige Bueckers.”

In case anyone forgot, Clark is the reason the 2024 WNBA season saw: 1.19 million average viewers on ESPN (up 170% from last season). 2.25 million viewers for Fever vs Sky on CBS—most-watched WNBA game in 23 years. 643,343 fans attending Fever games (home + away), beating the next closest team by 200,000. A projected $875 million boost to the WNBA’s economic impact in 2025. And, oh yeah, a $28 million Nike deal—rookie contract who?

You pull that out of the lineup and of course the ticket prices nosedive faster than a James Harden playoff run after Game 2. Look, whether you see her as the future, the now, or just the “Steph Curry of the WNBA” (yeah, people really say that), the fact remains: Caitlin Clark moves numbers like peak Kobe moved defenders.

But if this league wants to keep riding that wave, they better protect the product. Because at the end of the day, ticket sales can’t rise when your star rookie is on the bench nursing a quad.

And as Paul George said, it’s not about disrespecting veterans—it’s about finding space at the table for the new face… without throwing elbows to keep your seat.

Caitlin Clark didn’t just enter the WNBA—she disrupted it. Now, with her quad acting up and opponents playing fullback, the league’s at a crossroads. But as PG reminded us, there’s room for multiple stars—Clark, A’ja, Stewie, Paige—and the WNBA’s biggest win would be to let them all shine.