“Just like Jordan”: Former NBA Finals MVP compares Caitlin Clark’s brutal treatment to Michael Jordan ‘rules'

2008 Finals MVP Paul Pierce feels the treatment Caitlin Clark gets is similar to how Michael Jordan was treated in the NBA. Speaking on KG Certified on Thursday, Pierce went as far as to call the treatment Clark gets in the WNBA a privilege.

“She gets targeted. It's just like Jordan got targeted. It's a privilege. You're the best player… They had the Jordan rules: when you're so good, you’re gonna get targeted,” Pierce said (Timestamp: 25:40).

“If you're fighting against the best, you've got to do something and junk it up. I got to hold a little bit more. I got to elbow. I've got to go out. I got to take you out of your element… make it uncomfortable.”

Paul Pierce doubled down on his statement, saying that Clark has to be doing something right since she is treated so differently:

“It's a privilege to be in a position where others are hating on you. And when others are hating on you, that means you're doing something right. You know what I'm saying?”

Pierce would know a thing or two about being guarded differently, as he was once one of the best players in the league. Pierce made four All-NBA teams and won the Finals MVP for leading the Boston Celtics to the championship in 2008.

He spent 19 seasons in the league playing for the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and LA Clippers. Pierce retired in 2017 with career averages of 19.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Should the Fever be concerned about WNBA teams' physical play against Caitlin Clark?

It is no surprise that teams often adopt a more physical style of play when going up against Caitlin Clark. If they don’t, there’s not much stopping the Iowa alum from exploding and carrying her team to victory.

However, at times, teams can be too rough with the 2024 Rookie of the Year, as we saw during Tuesday’s game vs. the Connecticut Sun. Clark is no stranger to physicality and often adjusts her game according to how she is guarded.

Expand Tweet

Moreover, the Indiana Fever would be setting a dangerous precedent if they approached the league with this problem. So, Caitlin Clark will likely have to weather the storm. She is doing well despite the extra measures that teams take to contain her, averaging 19.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game.

The Fever will return to the floor on Sunday to take on the Las Vegas Aces at the T-Mobile Arena.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

Know More

Edited by John Maxwell