Cory Thiesse’s latest performance had a connection to Caitlin Clark. Where did the similarity lie? Korey Dropkin will clarify that.

Dropkin, a real estate agent from Southborough, and Cory Thiesse, a lab technician from Minnesota, paired up for the Milan Olympics. And then, they set up the USA for a gold-winning match.

On February 9, this curling duo gave Italy a 9-8 defeat. However, at the crux of it, Dropkin mentioned basketball icon Caitlin Clark as a comparison.

It was Thiesse’s game-winning shot at the semifinals. She had been wielding her hammer without a miss. And this made Dropkin compare her clutch to the Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

“She’s just like Kobe Bryant, Caitlin Clark, just draining them,” Dropkin said. “Yeah, she’s clutch.”

Compared to Dropkin’s vibrant and engaging play, Thiesse takes it calm, steady and composed. And that’s enough for Dropkin to trust her with the throws, knowing she’ll land those where needed. And this kind of action, while being under pressure, calls for a direct comparison to Clark.

In her rookie season of 2024, Clark ranked third in Clutch points and even led the clutch field goal percentage. Her record-breaking logo 3 shot dates back to her Iowa days, which followed in her WNBA career as well.

So, Dropkin quite hit the mark with that one. He just complimented Thiesse’s high-pressure play during critical moments, in a way that basketball fans would understand easily. And this strengthens the Clark-Bryant comparison as well.

Caitlin Clark’s Kobe Bryant Mentality

Clark is one of those rare players to embody Bryant’s “mamba mentality”. That is defined by her unflinching functionality under pressure, a relentless, competitive drive to excel. And Minnesota Golden Gophers assistant coach Shimmy Gray-Miller admitted that.

“Her separating factor is her mentality, that Mamba Mentality. She does not flinch (under) pressure. She is at her best when all eyes are on her… Her separating factor is her mentality and her competitive fire. It’s unmatched,” Gray-Miller stated.

And it’s not just the stats and talks; the Fever 22 has a special liking for Nike Kobe sneakers. In 2024, she broke the NCAA women’s all-time scoring record in the Nike Kobe 5 Protro 'Bruce Lee' colorway. She also debuted in the WNBA in the Kobe 6 Protro 'Grinch'. And later on, wore the Kobe 6 Protro 'Light Armory Blue' during her rookie season.

So, it’s not new that Clark’s name is lined up with Bryant once more. The new addition was Thiesse’s name, and her performance echoed Dropkin’s claim. Do you agree with Dropkin’s comparison? Comment your thoughts.

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Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu