Veteran sportscaster gives valuable insight into Caitlin Clark's WNBA debut

Patrick goes on to liken Clark's jump from college to the WNBA to the jump other well-known athletes have had to make. He even compares her to a few pro football greats who weren't so great when they first made it to the NFL.

"What was Troy Aikman his rookie year?" Patrick continued. "What was Peyton Manning? What was John Elway?  Some of the greatest -- you fail, and then you learn. The great ones learn."

The bright spotlight on Clark's professional debut has everything to do with her final season with the Iowa Hawkeyes being something to behold. She ended her final collegiate campaign averaging 31.6 points per game with a 37.8% three-point conversion rate and 8.9 assists. Through her first eight WNBA games, she's averaging 17.3 points and 6.3 assists.

Those are all growing pains, according to Patrick.

"She's got to learn how to play a professional game now," he said. "In college, you can get away with a lot of things. But she's learning."

It likely doesn't help, either, that the Indiana Fever aren't off to a good start this season. They are 1-7 to start their 2024 campaign and have yet to win a game at home. In their most recent game against the visiting Los Angeles Sparks, Clark went off for 30 points, three blocks and three steals, becoming the first WNBA rookie to hit all of those marks in a game. The Fever still lost 88-82.

There will likely be more games like that this season for Clark. However, it's all part of the learning process.

"She can still shoot. She can still pass. A lot of turnovers, but they're all learning here," Patrick said.