Caitlin Clark was reportedly deprived of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Chris Brickley, the trainer for LeBron James and several other NBA superstars, recently disclosed that he has extended a standing invitation to Caitlin Clark for years. This meant that Clark could have practiced with LeBron James himself, whom she considers the “GOAT.” However, according to Brickley, it was the Indiana Fever that hindered Clark from training with him.

“Some teams are like, ‘No, you need to be with me for the first three years.’ This is the case with me and Caitlin Clark,” Brickley stated. Instead, Clark continued to work with the Fever’s coaching staff during the offseason. By 2025, Clark suffered multiple injuries and was only able to play in 13 games. Consequently, many fans are questioning whether her season might have turned out differently had she trained with Brickley. According to Robin Lundberg of Sports Illustrated, there is only a tenuous correlation between the two events.

“I’ve seen it kind of go both ways. And you know, like with Brickley, they’ll say, you know, he’s worked with LeBron and Durant, blah blah. He’s also worked with Ben Simmons, right?” Lundberg said on his YouTube Channel. “I mean, Brickley last year said, “Thanks, bro, but Ben is healthy, moving very well. He’s better now than in his all-star season. I’ve never co-signed a player who didn’t prove it when their season started. Trust me on this one.” September 18th, 2024. So, nobody’s infallible. It’s not like one session in the gym would have changed the course of Caitlin Clark’s season.”

Ben Simmons, who was named the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year and became an All-Star in 2018-19, has struggled to maintain his growth trajectory in recent years due to a back injury. As Lundberg pointed out, Brickley had essentially guaranteed that Simmons would return to his previous level of performance, but the reality has been quite different. Over the past season, he played in 51 regular-season games, averaging approximately 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in about 22 minutes per game. He shot around 52% from the field but did not attempt any three-point shots, all while experiencing a midseason team change from the Brooklyn Nets to the Los Angeles Clippers.

It can be argued that Caitlin Clark’s potential ceiling differs from that of Ben Simmons. Her talent aligns more closely with that of LeBron James and Kevin Durant, both of whom have benefited from Brickley’s training. However, Lundberg’s point remains valid: even if Clark had undergone rigorous training with Brickley, her injuries resulted from a combination of factors rather than solely her offseason training regimen. Looking ahead to Clark’s recovery, it will be important for her to incorporate Brickley’s training into her recovery plan for the current offseason.

Will LeBron’s Trainer Spark Caitlin Clark’s Revival?

While it did not happen last season, Brickley doesn’t hold any grudges. “I’m hoping now, this off-season, I’m hoping that she’ll come to New York and we’ll get some work in.” He said, “Man, she’s the reason why the WNBA has become so big. I’d love to work with her. She’s an amazing talent… and I love her competitiveness, too.” Let’s make something clear: just because his prediction regarding Simmons turned out to be false doesn’t mean he loses all of his credibility. 

He is still one of the top trainers in the market. “He’s worked with most of the stars in the NBA,” 5 time all-star Kevin Love said in 2023. “He goes hard with these guys, and it’s a beautiful thing to see. He inspires you, teaches you new things, and gets you out of your comfort zone. We have continuous movement, less rest time, longer workouts, and must make more shots. It is all about him understanding the grind we go through. The energy is always consistent with Chris.”

Caitlin Clark is still recovering from her multiple soft tissue injuries. She is fast approaching 100%. According to Stephanie White, they can put in some 2v2 and 3v3 workouts and ramp towards 5v5 workouts. “At the same time and just as much as being on the floor, working on skill set, working on movement patterns, is rhythm and timing and balance and and all of those things now. It’s instead of working on one to two things at a time, now it’s three to four things at a time.” White said. 

Clark has enough time to work on her game before the 2026 season arrives. She could push her way out of the restriction with the Fever. “We know that she has the resources given her star power to have access to whatever kind of training she wants,” Lundberg said. Working with a specialist trainer like Brickley could help her adapt to the new reality post-injury. Yes, the ongoing CBA negotiations bring a complication, but Clark’s star power could burst through it, too.

She may need a change in style, as continuing in the same direction risks reinjury. Clark was a ball-heavy player, frequently in charge of both creating and scoring. That might have put excess stress on her body. She could be required to develop an off-ball game. Brickley could help Clark adapt. His vast client list of NBA stars gives another incentive for Clark. However, she knows best what her body and game need. We will see if Clark follows through on the offer.