The Caitlin Clark effect is undeniable. Ever since the Indiana Fever selected her as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, she has transformed the league’s visibility. Her games shattered viewership records as is evident from the 80% rise in viewers from 2023, arenas sold out overnight, and even NBA superstars became fans.
Clark’s impact on women’s basketball is unprecedented, and now, even an NBA legend has a personal story about encountering her magic.
NBA Legend Was Starstruck After Seeing Caitlin Clark
During a recent episode of the “OutKick” podcast, two-time NBA champion and current Los Angeles Lakers broadcaster Mychal Thompson shared a surprising admission.
On March 26, after the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (120-119), Thompson was heading out of the arena when he saw Clark in person and was completely starstruck.
“The only thing I remember about Indy is that when I was leaving Gainbridge Arena in the loading dock, Caitlin Clark walked right by me and I froze and I didn’t say hello to her. How about that? My favorite basketball player outside of Klay Thompson was right there in front of me — there she was and I said, ‘No, I can’t do it,'” Thompson said during the interview.
Mychal Thompson, former 1st overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft, was STARSTRUCK when meeting Caitlin Clark:
“Caitlin Clark walked right by me and I froze… My favorite basketball player outside of Klay [Thompson] was right there in front of me… and I said ‘No, I can’t do it’… pic.twitter.com/qPIE3VOHyW
— OutKick (@Outkick) April 2, 2025
For those unfamiliar with Thompson’s career, he was no slouch in the NBA. Thompson entered professional basketball as the No. 1 overall pick in 1978 NBA Draft and played for 12 seasons, helping the Lakers win championships during the 1987 and 1988 seasons.
Throughout his playing career, he averaged 13.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. While he was a solid NBA player, he never quite reached superstar status.
Clark, on the other hand, is a generational talent. By the time she stepped onto a WNBA court, she had already rewritten the NCAA record books. She finished her college career as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history, surpassing Pete Maravich’s legendary mark by scoring a total of 3,685 points.
During her first WNBA season with the Fever, Clark posted jaw-dropping numbers. She averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game — proving she belonged in the pros.
Clark’s rookie year in the WNBA was nothing short of historic. She got all sorts of achievements, including becoming an All-Star. She also made the All-WNBA first team and won the WNBA Rookie of the Year and the WNBA’s assists title. However, along with her success came criticism, particularly from within the WNBA itself.
One of the major talking points surrounding Clark came when she was named TIME’s Athlete of the Year, becoming the first WNBA player to receive that prestigious honor. During an episode of the “OutKick” podcast, it was discussed how this award further fueled animosity towards Clark among WNBA players.
Thompson commented on this at the time.
“You have got to congratulate our girl Caitlin Clark on becoming TIME Magazine’s Athlete of the Year, how about that! … No question about it, she’s definitely Sports Illustrated Athlete of the Year and yet another reason for the WNBA to hate her,” Thompson said during the segment.
The Caitlin Clark phenomenon is still unfolding, and if her rookie year is any indication, this is only the beginning. When an NBA legend who played alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is in awe of your presence, you know you’ve made it. With the WNBA’s 2025 season set to begin in May, all eyes will be on Clark once again.