We saw a different version of Caitlin Clark on Sunday night. The Indiana Fever star made her broadcasting debut as a special contributor for NBC. And while the pre-game show was largely well-received by fans, one moment in particular, in which Reggie Miller compared the 2024 WNBA ROTY to a Boston Celtics player, has gone viral. While the NBA legend’s take was shocking enough, Clark’s deadpan reaction told a different story.

“I like Payton Pritchard from Boston, the way he’s able to handle the basketball,” Miller explained when asked which active NBA player reminds him of Clark. “He makes big shots when the shot clock is running down, a lot like this young lady right here. Isn’t afraid of the big moment and is a champion like she’s soon to be.”

It was a comparison that no one saw coming. Very few would compare the Fever star to the Celtics guard, and this is no disrespect toward Pritchard, who remains one of the league’s better three-point shooters. But when you look at Clark as a shooter relative to her peers, the comparison simply does not do her justice.

And that was enough for fans to call out Miller on social media. Here are some of the reactions that followed.

Reggie Miller faces backlash over Caitlin Clark comparison

“Prime example that old heads delusional to the new talent in this Era!” one fan said, while another piled on with, “Lmaooooo that’s disrespectful.” You could see the confusion on Clark’s face in the video, and that was what fans immediately latched onto.

Such reactions were bound to come, given that the comparison never made sense to begin with. Both Caitlin Clark and Payton Pritchard play very different games. The undersized Celtics guard relies more on physicality and control, while Clark thrives with pace, creativity, and a pass-first mindset.

Miller also said the word “champion.” But when the Celtics won their 18th NBA title in 2024, Pritchard averaged 6.4 points in 18.7 minutes per game (no starts) in the postseason.

Another observer jumped in to say, “Put some respect on CC bro, what.”

Given the impact she has had on women’s basketball, she was probably expecting a comparison closer to someone like Stephen Curry, for at least her vision, if not her shooting. After all, Clark has helped change how women’s basketball is perceived, much like the Golden State Warriors veteran did for the NBA.

As one fan rightly put it, “The damn disrespect lol. In terms of ticket sales, skill, and popularity. She’s in the Steph convo.”

The numbers back that up. Ever since Clark arrived in the WNBA, the popularity surge has been impossible to ignore. Her regular-season games in 2024 averaged 1.2 million viewers, a staggering 199% increase compared to games that did not feature her.

TV viewership jumped by nearly 300%, with a massive 45% of the league’s total broadcast value coming from Fever games. Clark quickly became must-watch television, much like Curry.

Another fan chimed in with, “She’s Steve Nash in the modern era.” That comparison actually holds up if you think about it…

Nash built his career as one of the best playmakers the game has ever seen. While Clark is often talked about as one of the greatest shooters the women’s league has seen, she is just as elite a passer. Clark broke the single-season assist record with 337 assists as a rookie and followed it up by averaging 8.8 assists per game last season.

All said and done, the question felt tailor-made for Miller to compare Clark to himself. He built a Hall of Fame career shooting the lights out for the Indiana Pacers, while Clark is doing the same for the Fever. That shared connection made his actual answer all the more surprising.

It proves that sometimes, even legends miss an open look. In fact, during the same pre-game show, Miller also drew an interesting connection with Clark, and this showed how highly the NBA great thinks of CC.

Reggie Miller ranks himself only third-best in comparison with Caitlin Clark

We all know the kind of relationship Reggie Miller has with Indiana. He spent 18 seasons with the Pacers, became one of the most clutch players in league history, and retired in 2005 as the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers made.

“First of all, there’s a new shooter from Indiana, I’m the third-best shooter in the city of Indiana now,” Miller said. “It goes Caitlin, Tyrese (Haliburton), and myself.”

“Well, I’ll get Tyrese’s opinion on that,” Clark replied. “I don’t think Tyrese would agree.”

When Miller says he is no longer Indiana’s best shooter, you’d leave whatever you are doing and listen. Coming from the man who defined efficient shooting in the state for nearly two decades, the acknowledgment tells you everything about how far Clark has moved the needle for women’s sports.

On another lighthearted note, even Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James received unexpected taunts from the NBC crew after he attempted a signature Clark move and failed.