All eyes in the sports world will be fixed on tonight’s rematch between LSU and Iowa, determining who earns the coveted spot in the NCAA Women’s Final Four.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith weighed in on the stakes for Iowa star Caitlin Clark, suggesting that her legacy could hang in the balance. Smith emphasized that while a win would be significant, Clark must deliver a stellar performance, regardless of the outcome.
“Of course it would mean the world if she wins,” Smith said on First Take. “But she can’t stink up the joint … Last year … wasn’t a bad showing but they still got (beat). They lost by 17 in the national championship game to LSU. If you just don’t have the team, you just don’t have the team. We get that. But you, the person that’s been compared to the Cheryl Miller’s the Diana Taurasi’s, the Breanna Stewart’s of the world and others.
“You can’t show up in a game of this magnitude, this rematch tonight and stink up the joint. Caitlin Clark has to show up. She has to play at an elite level. If she wins or loses but she plays at an elite level it’s not gonna matter. If she if she stinks up the joint and they lose, that definitely will affect her legacy in terms of the comparisons that were thrown out there.”
RELATED: Caitlin Clark April Fools Joke Gets Deleted Following Major Backlash
Clark previously tallied 30 points and eight assists in Iowa’s loss to LSU in last year’s national championship game, fueling ongoing debates about her standing in women’s college basketball and whether a championship is necessary to solidify her legacy.
Andraya Carter, Smith’s co-host on First Take, added that while a national title would elevate Clark’s legacy, a poor showing in a loss tonight could tarnish it.
“And that’s the thing if they win, it will be because Caitlin Clark played well,” Carter said. “She has to play well. She has to be the legendary Caitlin Clark that we have seen for them to win. I agree Stephen A, the only way it would affect her legacy is if she played poorly. If she went out there and she was frustrated and she let the game get to her, the pressure get to her, then people might say oh, okay, we can’t really compare her to some of the greats that we’ve compared her to in the past.”
“She’s already an elite scorer, but her legacy could take a hit if she performs poorly,” Carter explained. “A win and a stellar performance would undoubtedly boost her legacy. However, to truly elevate her resume, she needs that national championship.”
While a loss tonight might have implications for her legacy, it’s important to remember that Caitlin Clark’s basketball journey is still in its early stages.
