Minnesota Lynx and Team USA head coach Cheryl Reeve isn’t exactly the biggest Caitlin Clark fan out there. Just last month, Reeve bluntly stated that she “didn’t give two s****” about Clark and her fans taking over a recent matchup between the Indiana Fever and the Lynx.
Reeve also played a pivotal role in USA Basketball’s decision not to include Clark in the Team USA roster that won the gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics earlier this month.
This is exactly why more than a few fans were surprised by Reeve’s decision to heap praise on the rookie sensation ahead of Minnesota’s 90-80 win over Indiana on Sunday.
“I thought that it was really cool that [Clark’s] senior year of college,” Reeve said of Clark’s ability to draw crowds while on the road (h/t Chris Phelps of Athlon Sports). “She became a roadshow… We’ve wanted to play [in] a league that can sort of transcend some of these spaces and have a roadshow… Caitlin Clark and some of these other rookies give us that. Obviously, Caitlin being a big headliner.”
Reeve also called Clark “exceptional” because of her “pace and passing.”
Fever guard Caitlin Clark (R) and USA Women’s National Team head coach Cheryl Reeve during the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
WNBA legend Rebecca Lobo has spoken out about Reeve’s recent comments, which have already garnered over 1 million views since it was posted on Saturday night.
Lobo echoed Reeve’s take while also highlighting Clark’s elite abilities on the basketball court.
“Glad to hear more talk about Clark’s pace recently (Cheryl Reeve below and [Sue Bird] on her podcast). Clark is 1 of 1 in terms of how consistently and quickly she gets the ball up the floor, both passing and dribbling.”
Unlike fans who have criticized Reeve for her supposedly inconsistent view of Clark, Lobo has decided to build on the positivity in the Lynx coach’s comments.
At the end of the day, it’s just great that everybody across the league is beginning to accept the fact that Caitlin Clark is revolutionizing women’s basketball as we know it.
