Candace Parker responds to Reggie Miller’s viral comparison of Caitlin Clark to the NBA

Candace Parker has offered a more layered take on how Caitlin Clark’s game should be viewed, following a viral moment involving Reggie Miller during Clark’s recent appearance on NBC’s NBA coverage.

Parker addressed the topic after Miller sparked debate by drawing an NBA comparison during Clark’s on-air debut. Rather than tying the Indiana Fever star to one specific player, Parker explained that Clark’s style is better understood by combining elements from several elite guards.

Speaking on February 5 on Post Moves with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston, Parker explained her thinking while discussing player comparisons. She argued that truly great players rarely fit into a single mould and that Clark is no exception.

“There’s a three-prong approach,” Parker said. “I think about range like Steph. I think about how she operates in the pick-and-roll, like Trae. And I think about secondary actions and getting shots up quickly like Steve Nash. With all the great players, there isn’t just one comparison that fully captures who they are.”

Parker’s comments came in response to a moment from NBC’s Sunday broadcast the previous week that quickly gained traction on social media. During Clark’s first appearance as part of NBC’s NBA coverage, Miller compared her to Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard while describing her instincts and feel for the game.

“I like Payton Pritchard from Boston,” Miller said during the broadcast. “The way he can handle the ball and make big shots when the shot clock is winding down, a lot like this young lady right here.”

The remark appeared to catch Clark off guard, with her surprised reaction shown live on air. The comparison also triggered widespread discussion online, as many viewers felt it failed to reflect Clark’s status and role in the WNBA compared to Pritchard’s position as a rotation player in the NBA.

Clark entered the professional ranks with enormous hype after being selected first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, and she largely lived up to those expectations in her rookie campaign. She captured Rookie of the Year honours, earned an All-Star nod, shattered multiple rookie records, and played a key role in ending the Indiana Fever’s eight-year absence from the playoffs.

Her most recent season, however, was disrupted by injuries. After playing all 40 games in her rookie year, Clark was limited to just 13 appearances this past season. Despite the reduced schedule, she still averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game.

High-profile comparisons to NBA stars are nothing new for Clark. During her standout college career at Iowa, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith frequently likened her influence on the game to that of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry.

“She is the Steph Curry of women’s basketball. That’s what I call her,” Smith said in 2023.

Parker’s comments reinforced that idea, while also emphasizing that Clark’s game blends multiple elite traits rather than mirroring any single player outright.