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via Imago

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Whenever Caitlin Clark and Stephen Curry’s names pop up in the same sentence, people’s minds sprint straight to what Curry himself said about the whole comparison saga. He didn’t shy away from the obvious parallels, like her range, her fearlessness, the sheer difficulty of the shots she makes. He saw himself in those moments. But then, with the wisdom of a man who’s seen one too many “Next Steph Curry” headlines, he added an overlooked truth. “I think it (the comparison) almost robs her of the rest of her game,” he said, reminding folks that Clark isn’t a one-trick long-range pony. She orchestrates plays, stacking near triple-doubles almost every day, and basically runs the floor.

Curry’s message was clear. Close comparisons are there, but let’s not cram her brilliance into his mold. Still, that hasn’t stopped people from spotting Curry-level impact in her performances. And sure enough, after her recent clash with the Liberty, the echoes returned, louder than ever. Clark dropped 32 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out nine assists. And then there were the threes, seven of them, and they were not just any threes. Three of them came from beyond 30 feet, and altogether, her triples traveled a staggering 199 feet.

Enter ex-Liberty player Rebecca Lobo, who’s jumped on the Curry-Clark bandwagon as well. Talking to Stephen A Smith on ESPN First Take, she said, “You were talking about Steph Curry and saying he’s the greatest shooter god ever created. On Saturday, Caitlin Clark looked like that for the WNBA—last year, she was the best guard in the league—she’s certainly the most exciting and fun player to watch right now.” Smith, for his part, would definitely agree. After all, he’s been calling her the “Steph Curry of women’s basketball” for some time now. 

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Now, their comparisons did not begin when Clark entered the pros. 

 

Back in his Davidson days, Steph Curry was already cashing in on threes, dropping 162 threes in the 2007‑08 season and making defenders sweat from half-court. Fast forward to the Hawkeyes vs. Penn State in the Big Ten quarterfinals last year, and Caitlin Clark left Steph’s record in the dust, swishing her 163rd and 164th triples, wrapping the season at 164 3‑pointers.

And while Stephen Curry reigns supreme as the NBA’s all-time leading 3-point shooter, hoisting 4,058 threes so far, Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA and led the league as a rookie with 122 made threes. Out of those, she nailed 17 from 30-40 feet, while Curry had 24 in his comparable NBA season. This year, she’s attempting a hefty 3.6 threes per game, tops in the WNBA. Her range? Insane, as she is shooting 45.5% on 11 attempts from 30+ feet, a zone only the bravest dare attempt. Compare that to Curry’s 47% career rate from 30–40 feet, and the gap isn’t as wide as you’d think.

What’s your perspective on:

Is Caitlin Clark the Steph Curry of the WNBA, or is she carving her own legacy?

Have an interesting take?

But their impact isn’t just in the points they rack up; it’s in how they have bent the game and survived the circus that comes with it. As Mike Breen said, “She’s doing rating-wise for the WNBA what Michael Jordan, LeBron James, [and] Steph Curry have been doing for the NBA.” And just like Curry, for Clark, that popularity came with its own challenges. Their welcome-to-the-league moment wasn’t exactly a red carpet. Both walked in as first-round picks, only to be greeted with tough defense, hard fouls, trash talk, and hot takes. That’s where Steve Kerr stepped in with a comparison not many have made. “I think it’s a rite of passage for young players, whether it’s the WNBA or the NBA. The other players are going to test you. Caitlin reminds me a lot of Steph Curry.”

So, doesn’t it make sense why both are so humble?

Caitlin Clark Makes A Humble Steph Curry Claim 

It would have been fascinating to see Caitlin Clark take part in the three-point shootout against Stephen Curry last year. There was talk of a potential NBA versus WNBA matchup featuring Curry and his longtime Splash Brother Klay Thompson, who now plays for the Dallas Mavericks, facing off against Clark and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu. In the end, the contest became a one-on-one battle between Ionescu and Curry, with Curry narrowly winning by a score of 29 to 26.

Now, Clark herself has given her take on who will win the contest if she were to go head-to-head against the Golden Boy. In a recent interview with FanSided, Clark was asked if she could beat the two-time MVP in a shootout. The 23-year-old was very humble in her response, giving credit to Curry. “Probably Steph,” Clark said. “I would be happy just to be there.” Then, when she was told that she could probably outshoot LeBron James right now, she didn’t take the bait. “I don’t know about that,” she replied.

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Caitlin Clark’s humility is just as refreshing as her game-changing talent. Even though she has quickly set herself apart from most of her WNBA peers, she continues to carry herself with grace and respect for the game. And the fact that she’s already being mentioned in the same breath as Steph Curry and LeBron James? That says more than any stat sheet ever could. 

Much of it is not about stats, anyway. It’s about putting the league on her back and making it look like a breeze. She’s not just draining logo threes; she’s drawing in crowds, boosting ratings, and convincing an entire new generation that yes, watching women’s basketball is officially cool now. Also, yes, comparisons to the greats can sometimes overshadow a player’s own identity, but if anyone’s on track to flip that script, it’s Clark. Give it a few years, and we might be hearing NBA stars say, “I see a little Caitlin Clark in my game”.

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"Is Caitlin Clark the Steph Curry of the WNBA, or is she carving her own legacy?"

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