‘This sister is special’, Stephen A. Smith picks out rising star who can challenge Caitlin Clark to WNBA dominance

Clark has had an estimated $36 million economic impact on the city of Indianapolis

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Caitlin Clark took women’s basketball to new heights during her time at IowaCredit: AP

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JuJu Watkins has been tipped for superstardom and to follow in Clark’s footstepsCredit: Getty
Clark, 23, helped women’s basketball reach unprecedented heights this time last year.

She starred for Iowa in the tournament in her senior college year.

The women’s championship game drew higher TV ratings than the men’s last Spring.

Clark was then the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever.

And her economic impact on the city of Indianapolis is estimated to be $36 million.

The 23-year-old has driven television audiences, ticket sales and revenue for the WNBA.

Smith claimed on First Take that there is another college talent who should be thought of on the same level as Clark.

JuJu Watkins, 19, has had a stellar year for USC.

The USC Trojans are expected to be a top seed for the women’s NCAA Tournament.

And that will mean increased exposure and time in the spotlight for Watkins.

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She has averaged 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game this year.

Smith said on First Take, “When are we gonna start talking about her the same way we talk about Caitlin Clark?”

“JuJu is special, I’m telling you that right now.

“She is the package! She is gonna be special.”

Clark recently starred in a Super Bowl commercial for Nike.

It was the first time the brand has advertised during the Super Bowl since the 1980s.

And the clip became the most watched Nike video.

The “So Win” ad featured an all-star cast of top female athletes like Clark, gymnast Jordan Chiles and sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson.

Nike’s Super Bowl commercial attempted to confront the challenges women in sports face.

It aimed to highlight the doubt surrounding their abilities, with the slogan: “Whatever you do, you can’t win. So win.”

Narrated by Grammy-winner Doechii, the ad declared, “You can’t be confident. So be confident,” and ‘You can’t fill a stadium. So fill that stadium”.

Belarusian tennis ace Aryna Sabalenka, WNBA star A’ja Wilson and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu also featured.