Current:Home > MarketsCaitlin Clark is astonishing. But no one is better than USC's Cheryl Miller. -OceanicInvest
Caitlin Clark is astonishing. But no one is better than USC's Cheryl Miller.
Benjamin Ashford View
Date:2025-04-09 03:01:45
In February for Black History Month, USA TODAY Sports is publishing the series "29 Black Stories in 29 Days." We examine the issues, challenges and opportunities Black athletes and sports officials continue to face after the nation’s reckoning on race following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. This is the fourth installment of the series.
Let's be clear from the jump: Caitlin Clark is an all-time great player. Some people have tried to say she's not. Oh yeah. She is. A legendary, devastating player. Anyone who says otherwise is a goofball hater.
Yet something has happened when it comes to Clark that's been interesting to watch. There's been a classic case of recency bias. It's been all over the place in the Clark coverage and analysis. She's been anointed as the greatest player ever by some and there's an argument for that but it ignores what is a plethora of greats ... and I mean a staggering number of stunning players who are at least as good as Clark.
We saw this recency bias when Shaquille O'Neal declared Clark as "the best female collegiate player ever."
Again, it's okay, and also fun, to have this debate, as long as there's some historical perspective, which doesn't seem present. That's because you cannot have the discussion about greatest women's college player ever without mentioning one name: Cheryl Miller.
Some of you may know about Miller, some of you might not. For historical, basketball old heads, no woman player is better than Miller, and I mean no one.
There are a number of greats like Candace Parker, Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi, among others. But to me Miller tops them all.
I believe Miller, at her height, would have destroyed almost any other woman college player at theirs. And some men, too. She was generally viewed as better than her brother, Reggie Miller. That's not an exaggeration. That's how good she was.
Cheryl played at 6 foot 2 and was fast, physical and could shoot. She handled the ball like a point guard but also physically dominated the interior. Almost no one could stop her.
It's true that the women's game is far deeper and more athletic than when Miller played at USC from 1982-1986 but it doesn't matter. If you took Miller from the 1980s, placed her in a time machine, and put her in today's game, she would obliterate everyone.
Miller averaged 23 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists a game. She was a two-time NCAA champion, a two-time tournament Most Outstanding Player, three-time player of the year, and four-time All-American.
Again, Clark is terrific, and none of this is about diminishing what she's accomplished. It's also true we're allowed to just let Clark enjoy her moment. But what's been lacking since Clark broke the scoring record is historical context. This is where people are failing.
Because they're forgetting all about Miller.
veryGood! (7)
Related
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Heidi Klum poses with daughter, 20, and mom, 80, in new lingerie campaign
- Pennsylvania is home to 5 heavily contested races for the US House
- Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott speaks of 'transformative' impact of sports
- Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
- Republican Mike Kehoe faces Democrat Crystal Quade for Missouri governor
- Strike at Boeing was part of a new era of labor activism long in decline at US work places
- GOP Gov. Jim Justice battles Democrat Glenn Elliott for US Senate seat from West Virginia
- Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
- Kristin Cavallari Wants Partner With a Vasectomy After Mark Estes Split
Ranking
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- Jason Kelce apologizes for role in incident involving heckler's homophobic slur
- Sign of the times in front yard political wars: A campaign to make America laugh again
- Republicans try to hold onto all of Iowa’s 4 congressional districts
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- Arizona voters to decide on expanding abortion access months after facing a potential near-total ban
- The Sephora Savings Event Is Finally Open to Everyone: Here Are Products I Only Buy When They’re on Sale
- Nancy Mace tries to cement her hold on her US House seat in South Carolina
Recommendation
Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
North Dakota’s lone congressman seeks to continue GOP’s decades-old grip on the governor’s post
3-term Democrat Sherrod Brown tries to hold key US Senate seat in expensive race
Salma Hayek reimagines 'Like Water for Chocolate' in new 'complex,' 'sensual' HBO series
How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
Democrat Ruben Gallego faces Republican Kari Lake in US Senate race in Arizona
Kamala Harris concert rallies: Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Ricky Martin, more perform
Control of Congress is at stake and with it a president’s agenda