Nancy Lieberman had WNBA fans in their feelings this week after she dropped a photo with Caitlin Clark that most people had never seen before. It popped up quietly on her Instagram Story, but the moment behind it hit loud. In the picture, Clark is holding a Phoenix Mercury jersey that Lieberman personally handed to her — a simple exchange, but one that felt like a passing of wisdom from one generation to the next.
Lieberman added a caption that summed up exactly why the photo meant so much:
“life is about showing up for your friends, people you admire and building greatness for the future @caitlinclark22 @indianafever @wnba”
For fans, seeing Caitlin Clark paired with someone who helped shape the sport was a reminder of how close today’s stars are to the legends who built the foundation. Lieberman has the kind of resume you need two hands to count: 17 years of playing experience across the WABA and WBL, stints coaching the Detroit Shock and Texas Legends, and even a stop on the Sacramento Kings’ staff. She’s lived every corner of the game, so a moment like this carries weight.
“Caitlin had a tough year”: Becky Hammon explains why Caitlin Clark isn’t the best player in the league yet
Of course, Caitlin Clark’s season didn’t go the way many hoped. After the buzz she generated as a rookie, the follow-up campaign was supposed to take her into MVP territory. Instead, injuries slowed everything down, limiting her to just 13 games.
Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon didn’t sugarcoat it when she was asked about Clark’s place in the league right now. She praised her upside, but also reminded everyone who currently runs the WNBA.
“Caitlin had a tough year, obviously, with injuries this year; she’s going to be a tremendous player in this league. There’s no doubt about that,” Hammon said. “A’ja Wilson is the best player on the planet, and you got the hardware and the numbers and everything to back it up.”
Hammon continued, “She (Clark) was one of the most exciting players I’ve ever seen on a collegiate level, and I would assume a healthy year for her. She’s going to be a great Pro for a long time. So it’s exciting for our league.”
And even with the stop-and-start season, Clark still put up 16.5 points, 5.0 boards, and 8.8 assists — solid numbers for someone playing hurt and playing catch-up. A clean offseason might be all she needs to reset the narrative.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
