Lisa Leslie Blasts WNBA GMs After Caitlin Clark's Survey Support Falls to 20%

4 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 15

20% of WNBA general managers picked Caitlin Clark to start a franchise in the league’s annual survey, down from 50% a year earlier, while Paige Bueckers led with 33%.
Lisa Leslie said executives who passed on Clark “are probably gonna get fired,” arguing franchise-building is also a money decision and that “the money is about Caitlin Clark.”
Clark has been credited with more than 25% of the WNBA’s recent economic activity, helping drive record attendance, ratings, merchandise sales, franchise values and the league’s $2.2 billion media deal.
Leslie pointed to Clark’s draw at the gate, noting teams have moved games to larger arenas for her; Indiana’s opener against Dallas drew more than 16,000, while a later Wings home game in a 7,000-seat venue did not sell out.
The debate comes as Clark averages 22 points and 8 assists this season and Bueckers, the reigning Rookie of the Year, posts 20.7 points and 5 assists, sharpening the contrast between on-court evaluation and commercial impact.

Does the Clark vs. Bueckers debate signal a shift in what defines a true WNBA franchise player?

Is Caitlin Clark's immense economic value worth the gamble on her injury history for a franchise?