Increasingly recognized as one of the greatest players in college basketball, and expected to be first pick in the WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark is being offered a new challenge.
The 6-foot, 22-year-old Iowa guard, before whom NCAA records tremble, is being offered $5 million to play 10 games against ex-NBA men in the Big3 league, according to TMZ.
“Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the Big3,” league founder Ice Cube posted on X.
We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship. But I won’t deny what’s now already out there: BIG3 made a historic
offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3. https://t.co/cwzHh7EVau— Ice Cube (@icecube) March 27, 2024
His tweet said the Big3 offer wasn’t intended to be made public while Clark is engaged in the NCAA Women’s Tournament, which includes her trying to help the Hawkeyes through the Sweet Sixteen beginning this weekend, “But I won’t deny what’s already out there: Big3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark.”
The Big3 deal would reportedly have Clark play eight regular season games plus two possible playoff games, TMZ said.
It would make her the highest-paid women’s basketball player in history, topping the $242,000 of the WNBA’s Erica Wheeler.
Is Caitlin Clark good enough to play alongside men?
As Clark has opted for next month’s WNBA draft, the Indiana Fever say Clark is at the top of their list. Two Fever games would conflict with the Big3 schedule, although the Big3 believes that besides being to Clark’s benefits, having her playing for them will benefit both leagues.
Besides the $5 million from the Big3 offer, Clark stands to make substantial amounts stemming from endorsements, not to mention a presumed base salary of $76,000 from the WNBA.
Ice Cube tweeted that Clark “can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes.”
The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men’s pro team, and she won the championship in her first year. Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women…
— Ice Cube (@icecube) March 27, 2024
Nancy Lieberman coaches Big3’s Power team, while Lisa Leslie coaches Triplets.
Among her accomplishments, as of March 10 Clark became the highest scoring NCAA basketball player of both men and women, shattering Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old record of 3,667 points.
Despite her impressive talents and her history of practicing against men, some question her ability go up against the strength and speed of men capable of playing at NBA levels.
“It’s one thing to dominate other women,” wrote David Hookstead in Outkick.
“It’s an entirely different animal to play against former NBA stars who are physically bigger, stronger, and faster,” he wrote.
“The differences between men and women will only be more obvious in a three-on-three setting where there’s more space to move,” according to Hookstead.
He opined that Clark lacked the talent to play against men, but predicted she might take the Big3 offer just for the money and for the endorsement potentials.
