I know it's go time in the W, but curious if anyone has heard anything about what the off-season plans might be?
3 on 3 league, overseas, broadcasting, take a breather?
3 on 3 league, overseas, broadcasting, take a breather?
Wonder what CC is planning for the off-season.
- Thread starter General Tso
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I have no idea, but I know what I think she should do: nothing. She needs a mental and physical break from the game. She's been going nonstop under the most pressure imaginable for almost a year. Once the playoffs are over, step away from the game. Go overseas and visit those places you've always wanted to visit. Hit the south of France or the Italian riviera and just hang out. Don't even think about basketball.
Hang out behind Jan and giving shooting advice in Carver.
I don't think she has anything to prove by playing 3v3, overseas etc. I think it would be best if she took some time off, traveled, whatever she wants - probably will attend some games in Iowa City. I'd also imagine she will be getting offers to do some TV work.
Probably head to the bar and order 22 shots like she did after the championship game.
It appears that she is wired a little differently than the average WNBA player.
She may spend 5 days away from everything. It won't last longer than that. She will be getting-up shots, lifting weights and bulking up her frame. Getting better. Kinda scary if you think about it.
She may spend 5 days away from everything. It won't last longer than that. She will be getting-up shots, lifting weights and bulking up her frame. Getting better. Kinda scary if you think about it.
It has been suggested by others in another thread that CC22 has been invited to participate in the Stewart 3v3 league but has yet to commit. I think she'll do it eventually as there are some financial incentives to do so. I could be wrong, and I have said it's odd that she hasn't been asked (and was thusly corrected) so we'll see.
The selfish part of me wants her to play in the new league so I have more entertainment options, but I think she should rest, work out, travel, etc. It would also be a power move depriving the new league of ratings, and not boosting the bottom line of investors like Geno. On the other hand, there could be a long term investment opportunity there for her. Then again, she seems to be doing just fine.
“Caitlin Clark has joined sports icons Billie Jean King and Annika Sorenstam as a Gainbridge brand ambassador, the financial services company announced. The partnership means Clark-mania might be soon coming to the LPGA.“
-Golfweek magazine
I bet the LPGA is literally begging CC to play in pro- ams. Ticket sales wood skyrocket and she is pretty good with the clubs too.
-Golfweek magazine
I bet the LPGA is literally begging CC to play in pro- ams. Ticket sales wood skyrocket and she is pretty good with the clubs too.
There was a Linn Dunn interview not long ago where she said CC was considering 5×5 overseas rather than the 3x3 league. No decision on either currently. I hope she does NOT join Unrivaled. Love to see how they do ratings wise without her.
After reading up on it the euro league is a huge commitment of time and bodily resources. I would say coming off a full college season and than W is taxing on the body but most of the women are doing something similar in Europe. It seems like a huge injury risk, if you don’t need the money. The unrivaled league is probably being borne from that consideration. If all the good W players (potential free agents to woo to the fever) are doing unrivaled then it seems like a better choice, if she cannot stop herself from competing for such a long time (w season is very short compared to the NBA). I could also see benefit of staying in the public’s consciousness, and avoid falling out of it by not competing for so long. But, there is also something to be said for just working out and enjoying life for awhile too. Interesting choice she will make.
SELFISHLY, I hope she spends a little time being a goodwill ambassador ( formal or informal) for the University's athletic program. She has the credentials, the name recognition and the personality to do a lot in support of putting the school in forefront of college athletics. She talks about "growing the game of women's basketball"- she could also help grow the Hawkeye name.... something she has already done with great success on a temporary basis! Go CC, go Hawks!
I think the best thing she can do other being present on big recruiting visits is just keep being excellent and the big thing in women's basketball. Iowa has gotten unbelievable mileage out of her in terms of name recognition. So much so, that during broadcasts, if there is a reference to Iowa it is her and not the ineptitude of our offense on the football team.
Boston and Clark on NBC would be a dynamic duo.
All I know of the 3x3 league is: Miami in January, Collier and Stewart, 6 five-player teams(?), players have some sort of equity in the league, salaries are supposed to be somewhat comparable to overseas.
The devil is always in the details, but it would seem to check some boxes for Clark. Give her time off from playing, give her time to do other things to build her brand if she wants to, establish herself as a leader and colleague among the WNBA players.
Her game may be (is) better suited to 5x5, but she also could improve some things playing 3x3. And, the games might not be that serious, although might be difficult to convince CC of that.
Imagine someone overseas is willing to right her a huge check to play for them. I'm not familiar with China, but if you're in Europe, your team plays in two leagues that run concurrently -a "local" league and a European league. And, they essentially run the entirety of the WNBA off-season. And, if the Clark Effect kicks in, those teams/league's aren't prepared to handle it. I 'd advise her to decompress. Europe has been there a long time and will likely still be there in a couple of years ( despite what you may read in off-topic board) if she still wants to do it.
from what I read, unrivaled will be "full court" 3x3 basketball on a smaller court. So still opportunities to get up and down the floor in transition, but not quite as much running. But who knows what it will actually be.
That's different.
I can envision naming six captains (which would also be bait to get some bigger names), and then the captains draft their teams. Clark is a captain with the first pick; Reese isn't a captain. The draft breaks the internet!
When you think about it, there's going to probably come a time around age 30? when family considerations become a factor.lots of alone time with Connor and parenthood is my guess.
Who knows?
I think I read the league has some kind of board which will allocate players based upon position and perceived skill to have balanced teams. At least, that is the theory.
I was thinking about that, and whether she would go the surrogate parent route when the time is right, just have babies herself in the middle of her prime, or wait until she's done playing.
Geno and Stewart would have to come crawling on their knees to ask me. Then go public and say what a dumbass he and she were.
I think Kutcher would pull out if no CC and probably others.
Yea... Not sure what to think about the 3x3 league.
Everything 3x3 just screams "minor leagues". If Caitlin doesn't what the full European schedule, I bet she has the clout to work something out with a Euro team. Guaranteed that a team would be willing to hold a roster spot, if she signed and said that I'm joining a month late.
Everything 3x3 just screams "minor leagues". If Caitlin doesn't what the full European schedule, I bet she has the clout to work something out with a Euro team. Guaranteed that a team would be willing to hold a roster spot, if she signed and said that I'm joining a month late.
I just don't get why people think she's going to the Euro league. It would make ZERO sense. The only reason these other women do it is because they get paid like school teachers. Clark is a multimillionare. She's been on a dead run for almost a full year after playing the longest possible college schedule in back to back seasons and the into the pros in weeks after that.
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I am not going to pretend to know what she is or is not going to do...but it would make plenty of sense for her to play if she wanted to.
It would help grow the game and help grow her brand.
Okay, my point is she could use a break, even she has said that herself. On top of that you could list a bunch of reasons other players do the Euro thing and almost none of them able to her. "Her brand" is already crazy big, and world wide. Just listening to reporters from other countries at the Olympics wanting to see her play, shows that. Theres also plenty she can do in the offseason in the states to grow her brand without balling. I also am not pretending to know what she'll do. I just don't see it given she's been going non stop for so long.
She'd do it because she could be the most popular female athlete in the world by the time the next olympics roll around? True MJ or Lebron level shit. Most popular female athlete in the world ever type shit. People talk about canadians and texas flying to Indiana for fever games. What about people from shanghai or dubai traveling to Germany to see her play?
The folks up top at Nike I'm sure know the numbers and return on investment for her/them if she plays over seas. So she'll be aware of the benefits regardless of the magnitude. None of us know so we're all speculating on how much money it could generate for a partial or full investment overseas. What I want to know is how much injury risk is increased (or decreased) by playing overseas. I haven't seen any data but I'd bet CC has access to some people who do. If injury risk is removed then going over seas is by far the best thing she could do if improving her game is priority number 1.
Lastly, the 3x3 league is a factor but hey if I'm CC and I look how I was treated the last 2 years I wouldn't feel the need to help them out if I have better alternatives. Will be interesting to see how it plays out. I would be hesitant using historical comparison to other players to try and predict her decision as there is no accurate historical comparison. It's a different beast entirely.
I get all that, I do. I just don't see her playing basically 12 months out of the year for several years. Just don't see how that helps her game, (which is still the most important thing). She came off the break playing markedly better. It appears it was good for her to get some rest, and some time on and off the court with her team mates. And no I don't agree that going over seas is going to "improve her game". Different style of play, and some different rules and I imagine a different ball as well. I won't begin to think I know what she'll do, but I just don't see how $$ will be the kind of factor that it is for other players in the W. If that was the case she could have gone and played in that crazy mens 3x3 league for 5 million a year and a piece of the action (reportedly). You have to think after this season she'll have numerous other nice endorsement offers without ever leaving the states. Her barnstorming around Europe like a triple A baseball team seems pointless.
Give CC a list of the top 5-10 UFAs and have her be the salesperson to get them interested in coming to the Fever. This would include Clark trying to convince Mitchell to stay.
I think at this point, Mitchell would be nuts to leave. She's averaging more points per game than she ever has and is only trending up. She will continue to get all the shot she wants, and with lots of easy/open looks thanks to you know who. Other than signing her, a stud at the 4, and competent backup at the 3 position are what this team needs most.
I don't think last year's team has received their ring(s) for winning the BTT and going to the Final Four. They have received them at football games the last two years. I imagine they will try to make it happen at a game once the Fever and Aces are done playing.
The WNBA site says October 20 is the last possible finals date. So Northwestern football game works; not sure about recruits visiting then.
Somehow, I expect we will see CC in CHA more than once this year.
Even if Kelsey doesn't want to stay, the Fever could designate her a core player, which would keep her in Indy for 2 more years
This says one more year: "Indiana can extend a core qualifying offer to Mitchell giving them exclusive negotiating rights in exchange for a one-year supermax salary." https://herhoopstats.substack.com/p/kelsey-mitchell-is-finally-getting
Frankly, one year is all that makes sense for her or any free agent, given that the new collective bargaining agreement kicks in after the 2025 season. The exception would be if she gets an automatic escalator clause giving her the league max, whatever it will be.
Packing on some good muscle (upper and lower body) during the off-season, should be priority one. Needs to be able to hip-check Chennedy Carter and some of those other big mama's next season.
