Sports
Caitlin Clark's new reality is coming. What will her WNBA transition look like?
Reality is coming.
In the words of Diana Taurasi, as spoken to Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter, Caitlin Clark is due for a reckoning when she gets to the WNBA. After four years of dominating the college game, Clark is starting the next chapter of her career at the bottom as one of the youngest players in the most talented league in the world. Regardless of what the overall arc of Clark’s career ends up being, it is unlikely that she hits the ground running as the best player on the court every night, as she did at Iowa.
Diana Taurasi on Caitlin Clark coming to WNBA “Reality is coming….you look superhuman playing against some 18 years olds but you’re going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time” pic.twitter.com/fxBxGoRZCS
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) April 6, 2024
Hype won’t be an issue for Clark; she is accustomed to feeling pressure and meeting the moment. She was a top-five recruit coming out of high school who ended up as the leading scorer in college basketball history. She proclaimed her goal as a freshman to get Iowa back to the Final Four for the first time since 1993, and she did it – twice. As the eyes of the public lasered in on her during every successive game of the Hawkeyes’ 2024 NCAA Tournament, Clark kept winning, shattering viewership records in the process.
She has been the center of attention before. The only difference now, as Clark is prepared to be the No. 1 pick by the Indiana Fever, is that the players she suits up against will be able to do something about it.
“It’s a different game, there’s an adjustment period, there’s a period of grace that you have to give rookies when they get to the league,” Taurasi said at USA Basketball training camp in Cleveland. “We’ve had some of the greats to ever play basketball, and it takes two or three years to get used to a different game (against) the best players in the world.”
The most significant change Clark will encounter in the WNBA is the physicality and strength of her opposition. We saw Clark struggle with aggressive ball pressure from West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament, causing her to post her worst assist-to-turnover ratio (3 to 6) of the season. UConn’s Nika Mühl had her in a straitjacket during the Final Four, picking Clark up full-court and limiting Clark to her lowest scoring total (21 points) of 2023-24. And the trees of South Carolina made it challenging for Clark to finish inside, as she missed 10 2-pointers.
Nika Muhl is shadowing Caitlin Clark everywhere she goes pic.twitter.com/aur7s8INm7
— Alex 👋 (@Dubs408) April 6, 2024
That’s the type of defense Clark can expect to encounter every night in the WNBA, starting with Gamecocks alums Tiffany Mitchell and Tyasha Harris in Indiana’s opener against Connecticut. Furthermore, while Clark got to hide on the Hawkeyes’ defense, deferring the toughest matchups to Gabbie Marshall, too many offensive threats exist on every team in the pros. She’ll have opposing players trying to take her off the dribble and get into her body on that end as well.
“Challenge-wise, I think the physicality of going against grown women is going to be tough,” Andraya Carter said in the WNBA’s pre-draft Zoom call. “The hits are going to be a little bit harder. The checks are going to be harder. The defense is going to be more physical and the players will be faster.”
The jump to the pros is often more challenging for top guard prospects. Of the nine rookies who have placed in the top 10 of WARP (wins above replacement player) since 2010, only Maya Moore was a perimeter player, according to ESPN.com. And Clark’s game doesn’t exactly resemble that of her childhood idol.
Former No. 1 picks Kelsey Plum and Sabrina Ionescu each experienced severe growing pains in their ascent to All-Star status. Plum didn’t average double-digit scoring until her fourth season, a somewhat shocking turn of events for the then-leading scorer in Division I women’s college history. Similarly, Ionescu didn’t make more than 35 percent of her 3-pointers until her fourth season despite converting 42.2 percent of such looks in college.
Nevertheless, Clark has a few advantages going for her relative to that pair. At 6-foot, she’s bigger than Plum, which will give her cleaner shooting angles right away. Opponents might not be able to put their best defender on Clark right away with All-Star Kelsey Mitchell also in the Fever backcourt, and Clark has deeper range than Plum at this stage, allowing her to stretch the defense.
Ionescu was bothered by a severe ankle sprain over her first two seasons, so health could be the biggest differentiator for Clark early in her career. But Ionescu’s difficulty playing as a lead ballhandler is instructive — despite being the all-time college leader in triple-doubles, she only flourished in the pros next to another point guard. Clark will be playing at the one; as such, her passing will need to shine right away. Fortunately, that might be the most pro-ready skill in her tool box.
“There will be challenges, but at the same time the talent around her is also going to be better,” Rebecca Lobo said on the pre-draft call. “I’m excited to see what that looks like in particular on the offensive end of the floor.”
Perhaps a more useful comparison for Clark is Rhyne Howard, the No. 1 pick in 2022. Howard was a high-volume 3-point shooter at Kentucky and succeeded as a scorer as a rookie because she kept launching from distance, earning All-Star honors in her first season. Howard didn’t do too much shot creation for others — she’s more of a wing than Clark — but used her size to pull up against smaller guard defenders, something her fellow No. 1 pick can replicate.
Clark’s deep repertoire of skills, whether that’s shooting off the catch, creating for others, or generating good looks for herself, makes it plausible that she’ll be able to rely on one of those to make her mark immediately. She’s in a better position to succeed than those who preceded her in recent years because her resume is in a class of its own.
Even if reality hits right away, there’s a long runway for Clark to figure out how to dominate at the next level. She is being set up for success by a franchise that will prioritize her development and optimize her basketball situation. Sooner or later, everyone agrees that Clark’s game will translate, even Taurasi.
“When you’re great at what you do,” Taurasi said, “you’re just gonna get better.”
(Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
Sports
Eagles grind out low-scoring victory over Packers to win third straight game
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It was another primetime slog for the NFL, but the Philadelphia Eagles don’t mind coming away with a 10-7 victory on “Monday Night Football.”
The Eagles improved to 7-2 on the season as they came off their bye week and earned a road victory. Meanwhile, the Packers have lost back-to-back home games to fall to 5-3-1.
It was the first time since the Houston Texans and New York Jets met on Dec. 23, 2023, that an NFL game was scoreless at halftime. And the final result was the same as the Denver Broncos-Las Vegas Raiders game on “Thursday Night Football,” which kicked off the Week 10 slate.
Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles looks to pass during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Nov. 10, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
The Eagles finally broke through on the opening drive of the second half, as Jalen Hurts connected with Dallas Goedert on multiple passes to reach the red zone. The drive stalled after a delay of game on third-and-long, leading to a 39-yard Jake Elliott field goal.
Given how the game was going, a 3-0 lead felt much larger than usual. But the Eagles eventually found the end zone in the fourth quarter after Saquon Barkley caught a short pass near the line of scrimmage on third-and-7.
NFL FANS SKEWER BRONCOS-RAIDERS GAME AMID LISTLESS OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCES
Barkley signaled to Hurts, knowing he had daylight if he could make one Packers defender miss. He hit a quick spin move, stayed in stride and sprinted down the left sideline. With A.J. Brown blocking in front, Barkley appeared to have a chance to score until his former New York Giants teammate Xavier McKinney brought him down after a 41-yard gain.
Just one play later, Hurts dropped back and took his first deep shot of the game — and it paid off. DeVonta Smith timed his jump perfectly, hauling in a 36-yard touchdown pass over Packers safety Evan Williams to make it 10-0 after Elliott’s extra point.
The Packers, who had been shut out despite multiple trips into Eagles territory, knew they had to respond. Jordan Love led an 11-play drive capped by Josh Jacobs’ six-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to three.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) is tackled by. Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun (53) in the second half at Lambeau Field on Nov. 10, 2025. (Jeff Hanisch/Imagn Images)
With momentum on their side, the Packers got the stop they needed to give Love one final chance. Starting at their own 10-yard line, Green Bay faced a crucial fourth-and-1 at its own 44. Jacobs fumbled under pressure behind the line, and Philadelphia recovered. Even if Jacobs had converted, an illegal formation penalty would have negated the play.
The Eagles chose to go for it on fourth-and-6 after forcing the Packers to use their timeouts. Though Brown appeared to have a chance at a game-sealing touchdown, Hurts’ pass was underthrown, giving Green Bay a slim chance for a last-second drive.
Love moved the offense just far enough to set up a 64-yard field goal attempt that would have been the longest ever made at Lambeau Field. But Brandon McManus missed badly, and the Eagles celebrated as frustrated murmurs echoed through the Green Bay crowd.
In the box score, Love — playing without tight end Tucker Kraft for the remainder of the season and losing receiver Romeo Doubs to injury midway through the game — finished 19-of-32 for 158 yards. Jacobs rushed for 75 yards on 21 carries.
DeVonta Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles catches a 36 yard touchdown pass against Evan Williams of the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter in the game at Lambeau Field on Nov. 10, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
For the Eagles, Hurts went 15-of-26 for 183 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 27 yards. Barkley was limited to 60 rushing yards on 22 carries but contributed the 41-yard catch-and-run that set up the score. Smith led all receivers with four receptions for 69 yards and the lone touchdown.
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Sports
Luka Doncic underlines his 38-point night with monster dunk in Lakers’ win
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For once, Luka Doncic had to serve the punishment. For not hitting any half-court shots during his pregame warmup, Doncic had to drop to the court and give his coaching staff push-ups.
The exercise seemingly powered him up for the two-handed dunk to come.
Doncic dazzled in the Lakers’ 121-111 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday at Spectrum Center, scoring 38 points with seven assists, six rebounds and one emphatic third-quarter dunk to help the Lakers flush the memories of a blowout loss in Atlanta.
“It was fun, not only because he got the dunk,” coach JJ Redick said, “but just him letting out some emotion.”
Doncic exorcised the demons of a 20-point loss to Atlanta on Saturday in which the Lakers (8-3) led for only 19 seconds and pulled the starters before the third quarter. He spent the majority of that game bickering with officials. He missed six three-pointers and had five turnovers.
On Monday, Doncic was back to joking with Austin Reaves about who had the better deadball three-quarters-court heave after Reaves returned from a three-game absence with 24 points and seven assists.
“I was pushing him to get back,” said Doncic, who made a 70-foot shot after the whistle and wanted to make sure Reaves knew it was longer than his 50-footer. “I needed him back. … He’s an amazing player.”
Reaves, who was out because of a right groin strain, said he wanted to play against Atlanta but was held out for precautionary reasons. He played one minute and 25 seconds over his supposed 28-minute restriction Monday. Everything felt great, he said, except his jump shot.
When Doncic assisted him on a three-pointer with 8:01 remaining in the fourth, Reaves put his arms up and threw his head back in relief. He had missed his first seven three-point attempts and finished two for 10 from three-point range.
With Reaves’ return, the Lakers are one player closer to a healthy roster. LeBron James is scheduled to practice with the South Bay Lakers this week as he progresses through right sciatica.
Rookie Adou Thiero (left knee surgery recovery) also is close to returning. Redick estimated the forward could make his NBA debut during the trip, which has three games remaining, starting Wednesday at Oklahoma City. The defending NBA champions are 10-1.
“They’re the No. 1 team right now,” forward Rui Hachimura said. “So we got to be ready for the war on Wednesday.”
Hachimura scored 21 points Monday with perfect three-for-three shooting from three-point range. In addition to seven steals from Marcus Smart, Hachimura quietly starred on defense, helping the Lakers hold the Hornets to 38 combined points in the second and third quarters.
Reaves announced his presence by throwing a lob to Deandre Ayton for the Lakers’ first basket. After Charlotte (3-7) blitzed the Lakers with eight three-pointers in the first quarter to take a 40-36 lead, Reaves answered by scoring seven of the Lakers’ first 10 points in the second. He gave the team a jolt of energy by racing for a transition layup to beat the halftime buzzer, giving the Lakers a two-point lead.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves shoots over Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges during the first half Monday.
(Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
“He’s an All-Star-level player,” Redick said before the game. “He’s, along with Luka, an incredibly dynamic offensive player. I think our depth increases, the lineup optionality increases, so not having him in the lineup really, really hurts us.”
The Lakers went 2-1 in games without Reaves, but the blowout in Atlanta was so striking that Redick was left questioning the identity of his team. Redick waved the white flag by the middle of the third quarter after the starting unit let the deficit balloon to 25.
With Doncic and Reaves back, the Lakers wouldn’t repeat their third-quarter woes.
The Lakers started the second half with an 11-4 run that forced the Hornets to call a timeout. Reaves then assisted on a three-pointer from Hachimura that pushed the lead into double digits. Doncic hit a step-back three to put the Lakers up by 12. Doncic’s assist to Hachimura extended the lead to 17.
A driving, two-handed dunk was the exclamation point, stunning the Charlotte crowd as Doncic hung on the rim and screamed for an and-one. Doncic can dunk, he insisted after the game.
“I just don’t want to all the time,” he added with a slight grin.
With two dunks this season — including a barely-there slam at home against Minnesota that his teammates don’t officially count — he already doubled his total from last season.
“Finally,” Smart said. “The way he be getting by [defenders], he’s always acting. Might as well go and dunk it one time. I guess you gotta piss him off for that.”
Sports
Chargers dismantle Steelers to win third straight game in dominant fashion
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The Los Angeles Chargers put on a show for their home crowd, blowing out the Pittsburgh Steelers to collect a 25-10 win on “Sunday Night Football.”
Los Angeles moves to 7-3 on the year and 4-2 at home, while the Steelers fall to 5-4.
This game was a defensive battle on both sidelines throughout, but it was clear the Chargers were not going to let Aaron Rodgers get comfortable in his pocket. They left him just 16-of-31 for 161 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers throws a pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 9, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Justin Herbert was getting hit hard in his own pocket, as the Chargers are still working things out on the offensive line with Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, their starting tackles, both out for the season. Herbert was sacked five times by the Steelers, including one by T.J. Watt as he comes just half-a-sack closer to tying his older brother, J.J. Watt’s, career total (114.5).
But Herbert was still the better quarterback in this game, as he threw for 220 yards, including a touchdown pass to his leading receiver, Ladd McConkey, with just 12 seconds to play in the first half.
STEELERS ADD SUPER BOWL CHAMPION WIDE RECEIVER TO TEAM
McConkey caught just four passes, but he finished the 107 yards after one of those went for 58 yards.
That 58-yard catch-and-run by McConkey also set up an eventual touchdown run by Kimani Vidal, who certainly helped out Herbert a bit with successful run plays that kept the Steelers’ defense honest. Vidal finished with 95 yards on 25 carries.
Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers is sacked by Khalil Mack #52 of the Los Angeles Chargers and fumbles the ball in the end zone for a safety during the first quarter at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 9, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)
Rodgers was finally able to find the end zone late in the fourth quarter, as Roman Wilson took a slant 27 yards into the end zone to make it a 25-10 ball game. But Keenan Allen secured the onside kick attempt, and that ended any chance at a miracle for Pittsburgh.
Rodgers faced pressure throughout the night from the Chargers front, which included fumbling in his own end zone and luckily recovering the ball for only a safety instead of a fumble for a touchdown.
With the loss for Pittsburgh, it’s an interesting look in the AFC North, as the Baltimore Ravens have now won three straight games after taking down the Minnesota Vikings on the road earlier on Sunday. They sit at 4-5, just one game behind the Steelers, and they will see each other for the first time on Dec. 7.
Another interesting tidbit in this game was Allen, whose catch on the final Chargers drive gave him the most in Chargers history with 956. Legendary tight end Antonio Gates, who was on hand to watch Sunday night, was the man Allen passed with the reception.
Ladd McConkey of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates a second quarter touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 9, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)
Looking more into the box score, Herbert was 20-for-33 for 220 yards while rushing for 19 yards on five carries. Quentin Johnston also had five receptions for 42 yards in the victory.
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