NCAA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Championship-Iowa vs South Carolina
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Sports analyst Jason Whitlock is urging Caitlin Clark to play another season at Iowa, make some money through the NCAA’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy, and avoid “nastiness” awaiting her in the WNBA.

It’s certainly an interesting suggestion.

“Caitlin Clark should return to Iowa next season, make about $20 million in NIL, retire from basketball, marry her boyfriend, and avoid the nastiness that awaits her in the WNBA,” he wrote on X.

“I’m not joking.”

RELATED: WNBA Legend Sheryl Swoopes Says ‘Black People Can’t Be Racist’

Will Caitlin Clark Have To Deal With ‘Nastiness’ In The NBA?

Whitlock’s comments come following controversial remarks made by Lynette Woodard.

Woodward played for Kansas in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) and is their large-school leading scorer with 3,649 total career points.

She downplayed Clark’s recent scoring record and complained that she had to play for some time with a men’s basketball and no three-point line.

“My record was hidden from everyone for 43 years. … I’ll just go ahead and get the elephant out of the room: I don’t think my record has been broken because you can’t duplicate what you’re not duplicating,” Woodard said. “Unless you come with a men’s basketball and a 2-point shot, hey, you know.”

Woodward would later issue a ‘clarification’ of her remarks.

“To clarify my remarks made at an awards ceremony on Saturday, no one respects Caitlin Clark’s accomplishments more than I do. This is why I accepted Iowa’s invitation to participate in Caitlin’s senior day,” she wrote in a statement.

“My message was: A lot has changed, on and off the court, which makes it difficult to compare statistical accomplishments from different eras. Each is a snapshot in time.”

Whitlock agrees. He posted the Woodard video. But he also notes that this happens in all sports with all athletes. Different eras result in different rules. But, he insists, male athletes who see their records eclipsed don’t sound as bitter as critics of Caitlin Clark have seemed.

Heading To The WNBA

It’s not the first time people have tried to downplay Caitlin Clark’s accomplishments. Or sounded particularly jealous of the attention.

WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes tried to downplay Clark’s record even before she had broken it by claiming the Iowa star needed a fifth season to top Kelsey Plum, who had a total of 3,527 points over four seasons for the Washington Huskies.

That was, in a word, false. In fact, Clark could play her fifth year of eligibility but instead declared for the WNBA draft.

“Clark announced that she will forgo her fifth year of eligibility and instead turn pro with the WNBA draft in April,” Sports Illustrated reported earlier this season.

Former UConn star Diana Taurasi warned Caitlin Clark of what was awaiting her in the WNBA.

“Reality is coming,” Taurasi said. “There’s levels to this thing. That’s just life. We all went through it. You see it on the NBA side, and you’re going to see it on this side.”

“You look superhuman playing against some 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.”

Is the negative feedback toward Caitlin Clark warranted? Or are these women, as Jason Whitlock suggests, “displaying (a) level of jealousy” you just don’t see in other sports?

Either way, making millions off her current name through NIL would net her more money than she’s likely to make in the WNBA.

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