South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley had a pretty clear vision for what Caitlin Clark could become in the WNBA.
Now, as Clark continues to build her professional résumé, a prediction Staley made in 2025 is getting another look.
“I would say Caitlin will go down as probably one of the best players to ever grace the league,” Staley said during an appearance on Sports Illustrated’s Around the W podcast in June 2025.
Staley didn’t stop there.
She predicted Clark could reach that level in roughly half the time it has taken other great players, while specifically pointing to Clark’s shooting, passing ability and court vision.
The quote resurfaced this month after the March Madness women’s basketball account shared the clip.
Staley’s Respect for Clark Goes Back to College
Staley has had a front-row seat to Clark’s development.
South Carolina faced Iowa twice during Clark’s college career, including the 2023 Final Four and the 2024 national championship game. Iowa defeated South Carolina in the 2023 semifinal before the Gamecocks returned the favor in the 2024 championship game.
That experience gave Staley a firsthand look at Clark before she entered the WNBA.
And Staley’s assessment of Clark’s professional potential was unmistakable.
She highlighted Clark’s ability to shoot, pass and see the floor, describing those skills as what makes her a major offensive threat.
Staley also predicted that triple-doubles could eventually become a normal occurrence for Clark.
Clark Continues to Build Her Case
Clark’s 2026 numbers provide plenty of context for why the quote continues to generate discussion.
Through 36 games this season, Clark is averaging:
- 22.5 points per game
- 8.4 assists per game
- 3.9 rebounds per game
- 45.6% from the field
- 37.3% from three-point range
- 83.3% from the free-throw line
She is currently third in the WNBA in scoring and second in assists, according to FOX Sports.
Her career averages through the same point are 20.1 points, 8.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Clark has also already collected an impressive list of early-career accomplishments, including Rookie of the Year, an All-WNBA selection and an assist title.
None of that settles where Clark will ultimately rank among the greatest players in WNBA history — that’s a conversation that will require the rest of her career.
But Staley’s 2025 prediction shows that the possibility was already being discussed by one of the sport’s most accomplished coaches before Clark had even completed her third professional season.
And now the quote is making the rounds again.
Dawn Staley saw the potential early.
