Caitlin Clark bagging the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award started a new conversation among fans since plenty of them took issue with her not taking all 67 votes to win the award. While she got 66, the only person who didn't vote for her gave their vote to Angel Reese.
Shannon Sharpe, one of Clark's fiercest defenders, shared his comments on this situation, implying that this felt like a personal decision against Clark. During Thursday night's edition of his "Nightcap" show, Sharpe said:
“I don’t know how you come to the conclusion that she wasn’t unanimous,” Sharpe said. “She got a team to the playoffs when they haven't been to the playoffs, I think since 2016. She led the rookies in scoring, she led them in assists. She averaged like 5-6 rebounds a game.
"She set records for scoring, assists, 3-pointers… Let’s not get into all this... All I know, when they got eliminated from the playoffs, the attendance dropped, the ratings dropped."
Sharpe questioned why the WNBA didn't get as much attention as when Clark's Fever were still in competition.
"Look at the attendance when the Fever play your favorite team and look at the attendance when they don't. ...I don't get it," he added.
Caitlin Clark has found an ally in Shannon Sharpe. This isn't the first time he's addressed Clark's critics and called out those who refused to give her her due credit.
Shannon Sharpe called out Caitlin Clark's critics for thinking Clark diminished impact of WNBA legends
Back on Sept. 23, Sharpe went on a rant against Clark's critics on ESPN's "First Take." The Pro Football Hall of Fame member went in on the media personalities refusing to acknowledge Clark's impact on the league because they thought it was disrespectful to the players who came before her.
Sharpe said that one thing didn't have to clash with the other, but added that Clark deserves credit for all the attention she brought to the WNBA since her arrival from Iowa.
"Caitlin Clark is box office," Sharpe said. "Instead of giving her credit, y'all tried to make it 'oh y'all poo-pooin the old guard, y'all never talked about the old guard like this.' Nah! I ain't gonna let it slide, Caitlin Clark, unanimous Rookie of the Year but what's even more impressive, she's first-team WNBA."
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Caitlin Clark is considered a generational talent, but she's always been humble and paid respect to those who paved the way for her and the new generation of women's hoops.