You think Jordan vs LeBron was never-ending? This one’s a doozy. We don’t often compare Caitlin Clark and Victor Wembanyama in that theme unless it’s to show how underpaid Clark is to her NBA counterparts. But the lines between the NBA and WNBA are blurring, and debates aren’t just limited to the guys now. A big part of that, most NBA veterans acknowledge, is through the arrival of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and more. So there’s something to be said about the Wemby and CC comparison.

Matt Barnes, a huge fan of women’s basketball and Clark, casually brought up that topic on All The Smoke. He asked Geno Davis first, “After Lebron, Steph, KD, like, name male or female, the next biggest athlete.” Davis said, “Has to be Wemby, right?” Keep everything aside, how often did you ever see ladies and gentlemen athletes even kept in the same bracket of comparison? That equation is changing.

And to add to that fire, Barnes disagreed with a different opinion. “I think it’s going to be Caitlin Clark.” Not off the mark. Clark is regarded as the next big thing in basketball. Victor Wembanyama is in the running to be the face of the league, but Clark is credited for making the WNBA mainstream.

That’s Davis was surprised by Matt’s claim for only a second before agreeing. “You think so? I got to admit, she’s got, she’s a baller. Like, she can play. Like, she, she handles the heat. Like, they try to punk her constantly, and she just stands up on it.” Barnes does feel that this puts a target on her back. Solution? He literally wants her to take boxing lessons and get aggressive to defend herself. But Davis reminded him that she now has great reinforcement in Sophie Cunningham.

The physicality in the women’s games is what made it interesting and bolsters as Barnes’ point to put Clark over Wemby. “Women have a lot, probably more smoke than the men, to be honest with you. But for some reason, when we start finally paying attention—I say ‘we’ as everyone’s kind of watching now—like, ‘Oh, it’s a big deal.’ Like, I love that s—, talk your s—. Oh yeah, push them, throw them if you have to, that’s part of the game.”

He also gave a shoutout to Angel Reese for bringing up the game with Clark. However, this isn’t about how Clark and Reese have made the WNBA entertaining to watch. Barnes gave some food for thought that’s worth diving into.

Matt Barnes is not off the mark

Caitlin Clark and Victor Wembanyama came into the league a season apart. Both proceeded to win Rookie of the Year in their respective times (though fans were incensed by the difference in the NBA and WNBA cash prizes for the awards and their starkly different rookie contracts). The parallels go deeper than that.

Wemby and CC actually recorded eerily similar rookie stats in 2023 and 2024, respectively. In her rookie season, till the Indiana Fever were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, Clark averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Wemby, on the other hand, averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in the 2023-24 season.

The only difference, Wemby’s 7’3″ frame made him a better rebounder, and Clark is a point guard with a strong assist game. Wemby also led the NBA in rebounds and blocks while Clark was leading in assists. Another eerily similar parallel? Wemby’s DPOY run was cut short by a blood clot, while Clark’s status is questionable after a groin injury.

Wemby, who’s also trending for his zen training in the offseason, called Clark his inspiration. If you recall, Clark also spent a part of her offseason skipping the 3×3 league, Unrivaled, to train solo. Matt Barnes, too, despite his love for the French phenom, is the biggest CC fan.

It’s been obvious through her NCAA run, her rookie WNBA season, until recent incidents. He went as far as to claim that veterans like A’ja Wilson should be grateful to Clark. Barnes is especially riled up by Clark’s teammates for their lack of help. As he told Davis, she gets roughed up a lot. He hasn’t held back when he’s referred to her as a star and needs to be protected by her teammates. That’s why Sophie Cunningham has made him a fan.

This is still a fledgling debate, though with potential to snowball. Who would you pick between Wemby and Clark as the next big thing in basketball?