Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar put Caitlin Clark under even more intense scrutiny after saying that calling her the face of the WNBA “is an insult to an awful lot of great players.”
Clark has brought unprecedented attention and popularity to the league, but the Los Angeles Lakers icon emphasized that veterans shouldn’t be overlooked.
Eddie Johnson, a 17-year NBA veteran, echoed Jabbar’s comment and outlined how Clark could reach that enviable status.
NBA Veteran Explains What Caitlin Clark Must Do to Become the Face of the WNBA
According to Jabbar, for a player to become the face of the WNBA, she has to have the “on-court and cross-platform dominance of a Michael Jordan or a LeBron James.” Otherwise, the six-time NBA champ wrote that such an honor couldn’t be given to “any one player.”
Johnson reacted to Jabbar’s comment and gave Clark advice on how to live up to that expectation.
“Caitlin is a very good basketball player with an excitable game, and yes, she is a magnet, but in order to be the Face, you got to be the best or close to it. Aja Wilson is the best player in the WNBA, and there are numerous others that are ahead of Caitlin. She’s not there yet!” Johnson tweeted.
Caitlin is a very good basketball player with an excitable game and yes she is a magnet, but in order to be the Face, you got to be the best or close to it. Aja Wilson is the best player in the WNBA and there are numerous others that are ahead of Caitlin. She’s not there yet! https://t.co/aEu2IhNKJf
— Eddie A Johnson (@Jumpshot8) July 16, 2026
Clark is undeniably popular even among non-basketball players and observers. She is highly coveted by brands and a cross-platform attraction.
However, she is still trying to reach that on-court dominance that Jabbar and Johnson underlined.
Clark got off to an explosive start in her WNBA career. As a rookie, she earned an All-WNBA First-Team nod and finished fourth in the 2024 MVP voting.
However, the superstar point guard’s rise took a hit last year when injuries limited her to 13 games. She averaged 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. Clark shot 36.7%, including 27.9% from deep.
Clark’s struggles and Paige Bueckers’ 2025 Rookie of the Year campaign prompted some WNBA analysts to claim that Bueckers has become the better player.
This year, Clark has had an up-and-down season and has been bothered by persistent back issues. She is averaging 20.1 ppg, 7.8 apg, and 4.2 rpg. Clark is making 42.7% of her shots, including just 33.1% from 3-point range.
Jabbar mentioned A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray, and Alyssa Thomas as among the veterans who also deserve credit. The Hall of Famer particularly appreciated Wilson, a four-time MVP and a three-time WNBA champ.
Until Clark reaches a level that at least matches the resume of other WNBA greats, Jabbar and Johnson aren’t ready to crown her yet as the face of the league.
