WNBA legend Sue Bird believes that Iowa star Caitlin Clark can be one of the best players in the league as soon as she makes the jump.

The general discourse surrounding women’s sports continues to disappoint, with one prime recent example being Kenny Smith’s remarks during the much-awaited Sabrina Ionescu vs. Stephen Curry Three-Point Contest in Indianapolis. But Caitlin Clark, the arguable greatest player in Division I college basketball history, has united nearly every sports fan with her dazzling scoring ability and game-breaking range from deep, making her a household name even for those who (mistakenly) view women’s sports as an inferior product.

The Iowa Hawkeyes star recently became the all-time leading scorer in women’s college basketball history, breaking the record Kelsey Plum set, and she’s even within striking distance of Pete Maravich’s all-time college basketball scoring record. This makes Clark, should she decide to enter the 2024 WNBA Draft, the easy selection at the number one overall pick for the Indiana Fever.

In fact, WNBA legend Sue Bird, one of the greatest women to ever grace the hardwood, thinks that Caitlin Clark could make the All-Star team as early as her rookie season, as difficult as that undertaking may be.

“I think if she plays up to her potential, yes, that’s realistic. And by the way, that’s not a knock on anyone in the WNBA. It’s going to be hard, but I think she can do it,” Bird said on the Sports Media with Richard Deitsch podcast, via Mike McDaniel of Sports Illustrated.

The jump from Division I basketball to the professional level is a steep one. But Sue Bird, as great as she was back in her playing days, knows what greatness looks like. Caitlin Clark oozes transcendence. Bird pointed out that it’s the Iowa star’s generational marksmanship from deep that would immediately make her one of the best players in the WNBA despite her youth.

“I do think she has a chance of having a lot of success early, and I think a lot of it comes down to her long-distance shooting. That is her separator. You’re not really used to guarding people out there,” Bird added.

Similar to when Stephen Curry began to warp the floor with his gravity, Caitlin Clark has the potential to do the same. The Iowa star’s impending entry into the WNBA should scare the 11 teams that will be having the headache of game-planning for Clark.