{"id":677154,"date":"2026-05-17T18:06:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T18:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/677154\/"},"modified":"2026-05-17T18:06:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T18:06:08","slug":"jason-whitlock-explains-why-the-thrill-around-caitlin-clark-is-gone-anybody-that-says-otherwise-is-lying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/677154\/","title":{"rendered":"Jason Whitlock explains why the thrill around Caitlin Clark is gone: “Anybody that says otherwise is lying”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ever since Caitlin Clark<\/a> entered the WNBA in 2024, her impact has been undeniable. She didn\u2019t just boost viewership and marketability \u2014 she brought a new level of excitement to the league. Fans started showing up in arenas just to watch her play, and there was a buzz around her that felt like the one Larry Bird and Magic Johnson generated back in the 1980s.<\/p>\n

That kind of aura is rare, and for a while, Clark clearly had it. However, not everyone believes it’s there anymore.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Jason Whitlock<\/a>, for one, has been quite vocal in suggesting that the \u201cit factor\u201d around Clark has faded, especially based on her performances early in the 2026 season.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was no thrill. The thrill is gone. Anybody that says otherwise is lying. I know we\u2019re only two games into the season,\u201d the 59-year-old analyst said. \u201cThe reason to see Caitlin Clark is to see the logo 3, which they\u2019d taken away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whitlock thinks Clark’s stock is ruined<\/p>\n

Three games into the 2026 campaign, Clark is averaging 25.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 8.0 assists. She is shooting 41.3 percent from the field, 30.3 percent from three and 100 percent from the free throw line.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

On the surface, that is still elite production. But Whitlock\u2019s main concern goes beyond her numbers. He argues that Clark is no longer facing the same level of defensive pressure she saw earlier in her career.<\/p>\n

According to Whitlock, opponents aren\u2019t picking her up full court as often, and officiating has shifted toward calling more fouls to promote freedom of movement \u2014 reducing the physicality she used to deal with and, in his view, dulling part of her competitive edge.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey (WNBA) has reduced the resistance against Caitlin Clark,\u201d Whitlock added. \u201cThey\u2019re not picking up Caitlin Clark 94-feet anymore and the refs had the instructions to call more fouls and to create more freedom of movement so people won\u2019t get handsy with Caitlin Clark the way they used to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Related: “This is just Linsanity” – Radio host draws flak for comparing Caitlin Clark’s career to Jeremy Lin’s iconic run<\/a><\/p>\n

Clark needs to achieve bigger goals<\/p>\n

This raises an important question: what truly defines greatness? It isn\u2019t about flashy plays or highlight moments; it is about consistency and adaptability. And winning. Sure, Clark’s deep shooting and ability to embrace physicality were part of her appeal, but evolving her game doesn\u2019t necessarily make her less impactful.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

If anything, being consistent on the court despite not having everything her way makes her more valuable. Just look at a guy like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA \u2014 so many people describe his game as boring. But with the Oklahoma City Thunder undefeated in these playoffs and him a favorite to win his second straight MVP award, it\u2019s obviously effective.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Whitlock\u2019s perspective leans heavily toward entertainment value, but Clark\u2019s priorities might differ. If her goal is to win, lead and build a lasting legacy, then adapting her style is not a weakness; rather, it\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n

It is something that could define her career far more than just highlight plays or narratives.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Related: “He understands the microscope” – Caitlin Clark opens up on her special bond with LeBron James<\/a><\/p>\n

This story was originally published by Basketball Network<\/a> on May 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA<\/a> section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ever since Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA in 2024, her impact has been undeniable. She didn\u2019t just boost…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":677155,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[64,63,6554,326331,34411,590,5548,12841,85],"class_list":["post-677154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-caitlin-clark","tag-jason-whitlock","tag-magic-johnson","tag-nba","tag-oklahoma-city-thunder","tag-shai-gilgeous-alexander","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=677154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/677155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=677154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=677154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=677154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}