Most fans would agree that Iowa guard Caitlin Clark meets the definition of greatness.
Clark is, after all, the all-time leading scorer among women in NCAA basketball history. She has three All-America selections, a Naismith Award and a Wooden Award to her name—with another round of postseason accolades for 2024 yet to be handed out.
However, ESPN analyst and former Duke guard Jay Williams has been adamant: Clark cannot be considered truly great until she wins a championship.
During LSU’s 75-74 upset win over No. 17 Kentucky on the men’s side Wednesday night, Williams doubled down on a take from Saturday.
“I hear people talking about GOATS. For me, I’m like, ‘OK, you wanna be a GOAT. Fine. There’s level of greatness,’” Williams said. “You gotta win championships to be GOATs.... Let’s slow down.”
Jay Williams on Caitlin Clark (again):
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 22, 2024
"I hear people talking about GOATS. For me, I'm like, "OK, you wanna be a GOAT. Fine. There's level of greatness. You gotta win championships to be GOATS...Championships. That's how we measure greatness overall." pic.twitter.com/1inUByFmtc
Clark led the Hawkeyes to the national title game in 2023, but Iowa lost 102-85 to LSU. Williams pointed to past collegiate greats who were able to win national titles, such as legendary Connecticut forward Breanna Stewart and guard/forward Diana Taurasi, as being superior to Clark.
“I’ve seen Diana Taurasi. I’ve seen Breanna Stewart,” Williams said. “Championships. That’s how we measure greatness overall.”
