WNBA legend Nancy Lieberman is setting the record straight. After former NBA guard Jeff Teague questioned Caitlin Clark’s greatness, the Hall of Famer didn’t hesitate to fire back, reminding Teague that his own résumé doesn’t hold up to the bar he’s trying to set.
“I don’t agree with Jeff Teague, who I read today said Caitlin Clark, she’s just a good player and she’s not a great player,” Lieberman said on the ‘3s and Ones’ podcast. “I love you, but you weren’t a great player. You were serviceable. I know you made the All-Star team one time, but if we’re gonna be honest… Caitlin is a great player.”
Nancy Lieberman is one of the most accomplished figures in basketball history. A two-time Olympian and Hall of Famer, she broke barriers in both the WNBA and men’s professional leagues, including a historic coaching stint with the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. Known as “Lady Magic,” Lieberman was the youngest basketball player to win an Olympic medal and remains a vocal advocate for women’s sports. Today, she serves as a broadcaster, coach, and mentor to countless young athletes.
So when Jeff Teague discredited Caitlin Clark, Lieberman stepped in to defend the young star and didn’t hold back. According to Teague, Caitlin is a good player but not a great player, arguing that she’s overrated by the majority of basketball fans.
Of course, this is coming from a guy in Teague who was a role-player for the vast majority of his career. While he did make an All-Star team with the Hawks in 2015 (averaging 15.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists), Teague was average, at best, with career averages of 12.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game in 12 years in the league.
Meanwhile, Clark is arguably the biggest star in the WNBA right now and has the potential to change everything in the sport. Since being drafted first overall in 2024, Clark has taken the league by storm with averages of 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game in her very first season.
In this campaign, Clark’s stats have taken a slight dip, but she’s still among the best young scorers in the game and qualified for her second straight All-Star appearance. While she did lead the Fever to a win in the WNBA’s Commissioner Cup, she has bigger ambitions of taking Indiana to the Finals, and many believe it’s only a matter of time.
While Caitlin’s rise has raised tensions among her peers, there’s no arguing her place as the face of women’s basketball right now. Whether or not she lives up to the hype is something only time will reveal, but it’s clear that she commands respect as a 2x All-Star, 2024 Rookie of the Year, and the WNBA’s most popular young athlete.
As the WNBA continues to grow in popularity and competition, debates like these are inevitable, but so is the need to uplift the game’s rising stars. While Teague is entitled to his opinion, Nancy Lieberman’s sharp rebuttal underscores just how high the bar is for criticizing someone like Caitlin Clark. She’s not just selling jerseys, she’s redefining what’s possible for the next generation of hoopers.
