Caitlin Clark’s arrival at the WNBA has been one of recent sports history’s most widely covered spectacles. After putting up stunning numbers with the Iowa Hawkeyes, the expectation was she would revolutionize the WNBA on a level never seen before. These expectations created a lot of buzz around her, and debates rapidly grew on social media about whether she could live up to these expectations. She’s gone on to transcend the sport in many ways, media and the Vegas odds sites are covering the WNBA more than ever, so surely this is good news for everyone?
Below, we will look at the discussions that took place specifically on the social media platform Reddit and how and why they have shifted throughout the season.
How influential was Caitlin Clark before transitioning into the WNBA?
Caitlin Clark was one of the best players in college basketball from the moment she first stepped on the court. She showcased tremendous skills in high school, which helped her to be the fourth-best player in her class, with multiple high-profile schools looking to bring her to their program.
Eventually, she chose to go to the University of Iowa, where, in her first season, she made an immediate impact by leading the NCAA Division 1 in scoring.
Ultimately, she would stay within the Iowa program for four years, which is not often seen by players of her caliber. In these four years, she would lead the NCAA in scoring and assisting three times, make the First-team All-Big Ten four times, earn the Big Ten female athlete of the year two times, and finish as the all-time leading scorer in the Division 1 female version history.
Once she decided to go into the WNBA, there were huge expectations that she would lead the league as she did on the collegiate level. The Indiana Fever drafted her with the first overall pick in the 2024 Draft, and even before she stepped on the court, the pressure was on.
The evolution of the Reddit Caitlin Clark dialogue
Reddit is a popular social media platform where many people discuss various topics, from politics to social issues and sports.
As mentioned, Caitlin Clark has been in the spotlight for a long time, so online discussions about her have been taking place just as long. During her college years, the dialogue was primarily positive, as she was a superstar who, in many people’s eyes, could not make any mistakes, often compared to Stephen Curry for her smooth shot and ability to make three-pointers from at will, she’s also a sensation with the in-game real-time Vegas odds bettors.
However, once she arrived in the WNBA, the commentary on Reddit in the early stages was primarily trolls and hostile. Many people could appreciate what she had done in college but were sceptical of her ability to adapt and produce the same numbers in the pros. They quickly pointed out her mistakes in her first few games in the pros and wrote her off as a “draft bust.”
In addition, many users felt that her overwhelming press coverage took away attention from the other star rookie players, such as Angel Reese.
This dialogue changed once Caitlin showcased her humble attitude toward being a rookie. She understood she was no longer in college and had to develop the skills to deal with a higher caliber of competition. She also showed appreciation for the other players in the league, both rookies and veterans and accepted that she needed to craft her place in the league and gain the respect of other players. This humbleness allowed users to see she was not a person with a huge ego and was more like an average person than the superstar the media made her out to be.
Then, once she developed her skills and gained her footing in the league, people also pointed out how productive of a player she was. Many users began to speak about their appreciation of her abilities and felt she fit into the league well even though she was not producing like she did in college.
Conclusion
The online rhetoric surrounding Caitlin Clark in the online space, especially on Reddit, is positive. Of course, a few users still have opposing views about her occasionally, pointing out her mistakes and how she distracts from other good players in the league. However, the majority of users view her positively, and this positive sentiment only grows as she develops her skills as a player and shows how she will have a potentially transformative role in raising the influence of the WNBA.
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