Why Jay Williams had to have misspoke about Caitlin Clark and “greatness”

Let’s breakdown the words of ESPN basketball analyst, Jay Williams, which seems to have landed him in some controversy on social media..

“I think she is the Stefan Curry of Women’s College Basketball. I think she has changed the dynamics of the way the game is played. I think the way she plays, the pizzazz, I think she is probably the most prolific scorer the game has ever seen. I am unwilling, maybe its the Kobe mentorship in me, to say she is great yet. I think she is the most prolific scorer the game has ever seen. I hold great, the levels of immortality, or the pantheon to when you win championships. That’s just me. Diana Turasi, when you win three consecutive championships, three time national player of the year, it has to culminate with the chip. It has to. Brianna Stewart, if we’re talking about GOATS, she won four chips. Multiple national players of the year. I’m not saying she’s at a high, high level, but for it to go to the states of immortality, it has to culminate in a national championship.”

Okay. Well, that’s an interesting opinion. I disagree with it and as someone who talked on TV and radio for a decade, I think he was on auto pilot and misspoke.

Let’s look at the words.

The Steph Curry comparison: Curry is great according to the Williams definition. Why compare Clarke to Curry if she’s not the same?

Changing the dynamics on how the game is played: That kind of innovation takes greatness.

And according the Williams definition, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Clyde Drexler, Gary Payton, they would not have been great. Doesn’t the Hall of Fame define greatness in the game?

He also cites Kobe. Maybe that’s where the key to this statement is.

Kobe was always pushing higher. His standard was the standard of greatness. I think in trying to pay tribute to Bryant, Williams let his words get tied in knots.

Because he contradicted what he was saying multiple times here.

Hopefully, we get some clarification because I think Williams is a good analyst.

But after this, maybe not a great analyst.

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