Two-time NBA champion Michael Thompson is suggesting Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark should get a Jeep endorsement deal, all thanks to one of her biggest critics.
Thompson, the father of Dallas Mavericks’ new star Klay Thompson, is the outkick “Don’t attack me with Dan Dakich.” We talk about Clark and the WNBA’s recent surge in popularity.
Michael Thompson took part in the pre-game broadcast of the Clippers vs. Lakers game at Crypto.com Arena on October 20, 2022 in Los Angeles. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
“JEEP is an acronym I came up with to represent how she was treated and not welcomed in the WNBA… The acronym stands for jealousy, envy, pride, meanness. JEEP, JEEP. That’s how the women treated her, especially the older stars.”
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Clark spent four years at the University of Iowa, leading the school to back-to-back Final Four appearances, before the Fever drafted her with the first overall pick in April.
Thompson called Clark the “single reason” for the WNBA’s rise in popularity, which he said is “driving the old guard” crazy.
The WNBA announced that May saw its largest attendance in the past 26 years and the highest-rated opening month of the season ever across all networks.
Clark isn’t the only notable rookie joining the WNBA this season, as Angel Reese has emerged as a candidate for Rookie of the Year after her strong play.
2024 WNBA Championship odds: Aces, Liberty favored; Clark, Fever surge
Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark is seen during a game against the Aces on July 2, 2024 in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Clark’s former Iowa teammate, Kate Martin, is having a strong season with the Las Vegas Aces, while Los Angeles Sparks No. 2 overall pick Cameron Brink had a strong rookie season before tearing his ACL last month.
Among a strong rookie field, Clark stands out from the crowd. Earlier this month, she became the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double in the Fever’s 83-78 win over the first-place New York Liberty. Clark is averaging 16 points, six rebounds and just under 7.5 assists in 22 games this season.
Thompson told Outkick that she’s followed Clark’s career since she was a sophomore at Iowa, adding that she’s never seen anything like this style of play in women’s basketball, even going so far as to compare her to NBA greats Pistol Pete Maravich and Steve Nash.
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Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark shoots a three-point shot against the Aces on July 2, 2024 in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
“It’s not about her race or her sexual orientation, it’s about her style of play. I’ve never seen a woman shoot and pass the ball with such consistency in the open court from such range,” Thompson said in an interview. “Her court vision is as fascinating to watch as her shooting range.”
Thompson, 69, was the first overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1978 NBA Draft.. He won two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and currently works as a announcer for the team.
Fox News’ Paulina Deday contributed to this report.
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