Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark recently received an offer from Ice Cube, the founder of the Big3 Basketball League to play for the league once her collegiate playing days are done. But according to former NBA stars Kenyon Martin and Gilbert Arenas, Clark would struggle immensely if this became a reality.
Ice Cube’s offer is a historic one, a $5 million deal for Clark to participate in the Big3 which features a number of former NBA players.
It has always been a heavily debated issue as to whether female athletes would be able to be competitive against male athletes in any given sport.
Martin and Arenas seem to believe that Clark would experience very little success. In fact, they shared on Gil’s Arena, the show they share together, that they think Clark “wouldn’t score one point” if she were to play in the Big3.
“It’s a step under prison ball,” said Martin of the Big3. Especially in the first few years. Could you imagine her getting stuck down on Reggie Evans? Just for shits and giggles if this was a real thing. Could you imagine Reggie guarding her for one? It’s 3-3, she can’t hide nowhere. She would not score one point. It’s 3-on-3, she can’t hide nowhere.”
Kenyon Martin on Caitlin Clark in The BIG3: "She would not score 1 point."
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Both Martin and Arenas did notably play in the Big3 in the past. So they perhaps know better than anyone the level of play and the physicality involved in the league.
That being said, it is a bit ridiculous to say that someone as skilled as Clark wouldn’t score a single point.
Would Clark struggle to defend former NBA players in the Big3? Without a doubt. But chances are she would find plenty of opportunities as a shooter to find a way to score just a single basket in a game.
The physicality difference between NBA and potential WNBA players like Clark is obviously very drastic. But there are obviously some skills like shooting that will transfer to any game against any competition. And considering Clark’s shooting ability, this take is a pretty horrendous one from both Martin and Arenas.
