“We are really, really fortunate”: Sparks coach provides detailed breakdown of Caitlin Clark’s game, likens her to Sue Bird and Becky Hammon.
LA Sparks coach Curt Miller was left in awe of Caitlin Clark after the Indiana Fever rookie notched her second triple-double of the season on Wednesday. Clark delivered an all-round performance, posting 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, leading her team to a hard-fought 93-86 victory over Miller’s Sparks.
Impressed by Clark’s brilliance on the court, Miller offered a detailed analysis of her game, expertly breaking down the rookie’s skillset. The coach began by calling the former Iowa standout “special” and proceeded to draw comparisons between her and two legends of women’s basketball.
Curt Miller praises “special” Caitin Clark(Credit: Instagram/Curt Miller and X/Indiana Fever)
The veteran coach first likened Clark’s speed with the four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird.
“She’s a special player and we’re really, really fortunate to have her in our league,” Miller told reporters, as quoted by Indiana Fever reporter Jacob Rude.
“I have different breakdowns of people within her game, but she has it all. When Sue Bird was in her prime, Sue Bird played with incredible pace. One of the things that probably didn’t get talked about enough is how fast Sue Bird was when she was in her prime,” he added.
Miller then compared Clark to six-time WNBA All-Star and current Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon. He highlighted the similarities between Clark and Hammon, particularly their ability to create space, get off clean shots, and consistently score with efficiency.
“I got to coach Becky Hammon when she was in college and Becky Hammon had such a unique ability to put the ball in the basket,” Miller continued. “When she got open and got any kind of space, you just counted it. She just was not going to miss a lot of open shots.”
“Now, Becky didn’t play, necessarily, with the pace of Caitlin but she had the unique ability to create space and get shots off and make shots, play with change of pace. I see elements of Caitlin that I got to witness firsthand with the opportunity to coach Becky Hammon early in her career,” the Sparks coach added.
Curt Miller on Caitlin Clark’s upside
Curt Miller continued to praise and express admiration for Caitlin Clark, openly recognizing how lucky the WNBA is to have a talent like her in the league.
The Sparks coach also highlighted Clark’s defensive potential, emphasizing the advantage her length and size bring to that side of the game.
“Other things, like Caitlin’s got great size,” said Miller. “She’s going to just grow at the defensive end as her career goes on because she’s got length and size and she’ll just become better and better at that end.”
Clark will next be in action on Friday when the Fever squares off against the Minnesota Lynx.
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Source: The Wall Street Journal
