My love letter to Caitlin Clark

I fully admit it.

Everything that could possibly be written about Caitlin Clark has already been written. America's number one college basketball player (not female, but top overall) has had so much coverage that she may be dangerously nearing the Taylor Swift stratosphere.

But I don't care. I am writing one more.

I have been coaching hoops, announcing and officiating, and watching a lot of basketball games over the large part of my now 67 years roaming this fine planet, and let me just say that this young lady may be one of the most unique, exciting and talented players I have ever seen.

Male or female. She is truly amazing.

If you haven't seen her, think Michelangelo on the basketball court, Mozart of the hardwood, or Rembrandt in shorts. She is to basketball what Patrick Mahomes now is to football, what the Great Gretzky was to hockey, and what Muhammed Ali was to boxing.

Transcendent. Something special, something different, and it is clearly more than just the simple skill set. Whatever the "it factor" is, she has it in multitudes. You want to call it the "wow factor"? Fine, but put a capital "W" on the front and back end.

Caitlin Clark is spectacular—absolute must-see TV. Or if you are lucky enough to watch in person, don't even think about passing up the opportunity. (Note: She will be playing this Wednesday in Evanston—sold out now for this women's game that usually averages about a couple thousand fans.)

To break down the skill set is not easy. Putting what she does on the basketball court into the written word is both a challenge and, at the same time, an absolute pleasure. How do you describe the joy of the game that she plays and the flair she displays on the court? It's not so easy at all, but we shall give it a try.

Of course, there is the obvious. The near ridiculous ability to shoot the long-range three ball, which is what everyone talks about. Apparently, the regular three-point arc is way too short for "lady magic," as she prefers to fire up shots from far beyond that much too-easy line. And she does so, we might add, effortlessly and with amazing accuracy.

The quick release, the beautiful backspin, the smooth stroke, the follow-through— all done even when contested with a hand in her face, which is often the case. To add insult to injury (if you happen to be the opponent), rarely does the ball even hit the rim or the backboard. Nope, no lucky bounces are needed for "the operator" (nicknamed by me because of her ability to connect from long range). When Caitlin launches it, the ball usually hits nothing but net and the sweet sound of the "swish" is made that much prettier because of the distance from where it is shot.

Does she shoot too much? Yes. Does she miss these long-range shots? She does indeed, and she will have streaks where it can get a bit ugly. But overall, she makes a remarkable percentage of them, and when she does, they come in an almost cavalcade-like fashion. A deadly barrage that leaves even the best of opponents just shaking their heads.

To add to her unique arsenal, this year in particular, she has added the drive to the hoop game where she is both quick and strong taking the ball to the basket, able to convert inside drives and layups that at times would have "degree of difficulty" ratings that could even make Olympic gymnasts or high divers second guess themselves.

But where she really excels. Where she stands above almost any player I have ever watched, guy or girl, is her amazing passing ability.

Length of the court passes with a flick of the wrist, done with almost unfair ease— and delivered on time, every time, as well as backdoor feeds, timed perfectly, no-look passes, and drives into the paint, drawing the defense and then the soft dish to an open teammate.

They are all part of her game. She can go old school, too, and deliver passes into the post with uncanny effectiveness, bringing back memories of Havlicek to Russell if you are an old Celtics fan.

It should be noted that all of the above and more are performed with a rare flair, charisma, and passion for the game.   It is "catch your breath" viewing, watching Clark play and the wonder of "what is coming next?" is part of the fun and intrigue.

Caitlin can get a bit showy, no doubt, a bit dramatic at times, and certainly not afraid at all to play up to the crowd, but she does it all out of a love of the game and a passion for playing. Most importantly, she never puts down an opponent or shows up the opposing crowd, it is more about adulation for her and her team.

Speaking of her teammates, playing with her is both a blessing and a curse. A double-edged sword, if you will. But if you break it down percentage-wise, it is closer to 85% blessing and just 15% negative. Obviously, they enjoy winning and being on the receiving end of some of her terrific passes, as well as the unbelievable amount of publicity and coverage the team has gotten. They play in front of packed crowds almost every game on the road now so that part is fun.

But you can see sometimes in her teammate's body language and actions that it can be a little frustrating as well. Not having the ball as much as they would like and not being able to create plays for themselves can be restrictive, especially with them being very talented players. Stars in their own right from their respective high schools and most would likely be playing more leading roles for another college team.

But those are just small qualms amongst the many great things. The love of being an Iowa Hawkeye and playing for Coach Lisa Bluder and Coach Jan Jensen in the "age of Caitlin" takes clear priority.

Clark is a generational talent and no doubt will go down as one of the best to ever play in college.

…So, there you have it—one more addition to the Caitlyn Clark publicity file.

Sorry, but I just couldn't resist.