Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark is perhaps the top female basketball player in not just college basketball, but the entire world. But according to former NBA players Kenyon Martin and Gilbert Arenas, her skills would not translate whatsoever if she faced off against former NBA talent.
Ice Cube, the founder of the popular 3-on-3 basketball league Big3, recently stated publically that he has offered Clark $5 million to play in the league during the WNBA offseason.
The Big3 features mostly former NBA players. So the step up in competition for Clark would be a pretty severe one.
Martin and Arenas spoke about this possibility on the show they share together, Gil’s Arena, on Wednesday, where they said that Clark would not only struggle, but that she “wouldn’t score a point” in the league.
“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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On paper, it seems like an incredibly harsh message to Clark. Would she struggle with some of the physicality that is featured in the Big3? Almost certainly. But to say that someone as talented offensively as Clark wouldn’t be able to score in any way against retired NBA players seems like a bit of a stretch.
Regardless, the message from Arenas and Martin is a pretty clear one. For Clark to continue to face other females instead of testing herself against high-level male competition.
