Caitlin Clark's second season in the WNBA has been a complete flop.
The ex-Iowa Hawkeye is still selling out arenas and is a cultural phenomenon, but her play on the court has taken a dramatic hit.
She is shooting just 36% from the field on the campaign, including a woeful 28% from beyond the arc. Clark has battled numerous injuries and is leading an Indiana Fever team that was supposed to be title contenders to just a game above .500.
This stretch is not indicative of her immense talent, but one national talking head suggests this run of poor play is indicative of a larger issue plaguing the WNBA.
While on a recent episode of his show "The Herd," Colin Cowherd voiced his displeasure with how the games are called in the W.
"They have one more big move to make as a league—they have to get better officiating," Cowherd said. "Guards in the WNBA get attacked. Look at the number of injured players in the WNBA—it's unbelievable. The NBA kind of protects its players in the regular season. The WNBA officiates like the NBA does in the postseason. This is a learning curve. You want your best players healthy for the playoffs, then you can take the whistle out."
Great basketball is often more physical, but the WNBA frequently exceeds that line, which is why young players like Caitlin Clark usually feel burned out and struggle to stay on the floor early in their careers.
Women's hoops still have untapped growth, but it needs Clark to be healthy and a featured superstar to reach that potential.