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It is quite a compliment for any basketball player to be mentioned in the same breath as Steph Curry. The four-time NBA champion has changed the game with his 3-point ability and the way he has extended his range well beyond the arc. Caitlin Clark is cut from the same mold and is having a similar impact in women's basketball.
The Iowa standout has been among the best players in college basketball for the past three seasons. She already has an accomplished resume, which includes being a three-time AP All-American, two-time Big 12 Player of the Year and The Athletic's National Player of the Year.
Her impressive efforts have opened eyes nationally, and analyst Stephen A. Smith is the latest personality to give Clark her well-earned praise. As Smith put it on ESPN's "First Take":
"She's the Steph Curry of women's college basketball. She has unlimited range, she's got a handle, she can get to the basket, she's aggressive with it – she averaged 27 a game this season – she's just a sniper. She is lethal, and I love watching her. She is one of the greatest attractions in college basketball. She can pull up from the parking lot. ... We like that."
Is Caitlin Clark the best player in college basketball?
Iowa's Caitlin Clark is averaging 26.8 points, 8.6 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. She leads the country in assists and ranks third in scoring.
As Smith said, Clark has one of the most extensive ranges in college basketball. She regularly pulls up from well beyond the 3-point arc and forces the defense to pick her up at halfcourt.
The Iowa standout has kept her typical level of play in the NCAA Tournament. Clark has combined for 48 points through the opening two games of the tournament, leading the team to victories over Southeastern Louisiana 95-43 and Georgia 74-66.
Clark and the second-seeded Hawkeyes (28-6) will face sixth-seeded Colorado (25-8) in their Sweet 16 matchup with their hopes of winning it all still alive. Iowa is considered the have the fourth-best odds of cutting down the nets and has kicked off the tournament with back-to-back impressive performances.
Expect this to continue and for Caitlin Clark to remain at the epicenter of their play. She is in the midst of one of the most impressive individual seasons in college basketball history, and capping it off with a deep tournament run seems only right.
