The GOAT debate surrounding women’s hoops star Caitlin Clark has added another voice: Dick Vitale.
The legendary college basketball broadcaster weighed in on the conversation in an X post Monday night.
The Iowa basketball star has become a household name in the sports world as she’s dominated women’s college basketball and rewritten the record books, but Vitale has felt her lack of a championship has been unfairly held against her.
Dick Vitale backs Caitlin Clark in a GOAT debate.Getty Images
Caitlin Clark recently set the all-time points record in women’s college basketball.Getty Images
“Recently there has been debate about being the GOAT as it related to @CaitlinClark22,” he wrote. “Look I RESPECT the views of others but I do not think it is FAIR to eliminate someone that doesn’t win a championship. Championships r won by strong talented TEAMS . I always felt that WILT C (Chamberlain) & many others don’t get a fair shake . He didn’t play with a HOF roster ala the Celtics.”
Clark broke the NCAA women’s basketball scoring record for most career points on Feb. 15 and she’s honing in on passing Pete Maravich for most career points in Division I history for men and women.
Still, it hasn’t quieted some of the noise about her lack of a title.
Iowa reached the championship game last year but fell to Angel Reese and LSU, which has given credence in the mind of some, including ESPN analyst Jay Williams, that Clark isn’t the GOAT.
Iowa seems poised to make another deep run, giving Clark another shot to quiet the haters.
Clark has made Iowa women’s basketball must-watch events and the school even placed a special “22 Clark” decal on the floor where she hit her record-setting shot.
“I didn’t really see it until I came out to warm up,” Clark said, per ESPN. “I knew, because Coach [Lisa] Bluder had told me about it. It’s cool. Honestly, it seems a bit further back than where I actually shot it from, but that’s where they claim I shot it from.
Jay Williams (right) thinks Caitlin Clark needs to win a championship.Getty Images
“It’s super special; that’s something I’ll always remember and a shot I’ll always remember. I’m thankful for this university and the athletic department that wanted to do that; they didn’t have to do that.”
Iowa has two regular-season games left before the Big Ten tournament begins.
