Caitlin Clark never misses stealing the spotlight, and her appearance as Special Contributor for "Basketball Night in America" was no different.

When asked about which NBA player inspires her, she named Luka Doncic without any hesitation.  She called Dončić “amazing and incredible” and gave a detailed breakdown of his game.

“He’s not the fastest, he’s not the most athletic, but he can get his defender to move exactly where he wants them...He does a really good job of keeping the defender behind him or to the side. That’s definitely something I can learn from.” Clark told pregame host Maria Taylor.

That's huge, coming on the first anniversary of Luka Doncic being traded to LA. Especially since CC herself is praised for thinking fastest on court, enough to manipulate defenders. But, ofcourse any hoopster would be wise to take notes.

Notably, Doncic has been First Team All-NBA five times. He leads the league with 33.7 points per game. He won the 2024 scoring title. And he’s doing all this while averaging nearly 7.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game.

“I tend to want to run away from defenders rather than absorb contact and take the space they give me. He averages something like a 30-point triple-double. He makes it look easy—but trust me, it’s not.”

And she’s right. Even today’s game was no different. Dončić had 30 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists in the Knicks vs. Lakers.

So while the Mavs’ front office might argue otherwise, CC’s observation makes total sense. However, It’s not just Clark who finds Dončić inspiring. 

Luka Has the Same Respect for Cailtin Clark

Last year, during the April 27th interview with Caleb Pressley on Sundae Conversation, Dončić didn’t hesitate and said, “Caitlin Clark” when asked about his favorite women’s basketball player:

Even when Pressley tried to throw Paige Bueckers into the conversation with his usual sarcastic style, but Dončić didn’t waver. And that’s not the first time he’s praised CC publicly. 

He has given her the title of “women’s Steph Curry” He told media back in 2024, “That’s the women’s Steph Curry. She can shoot it better than me.” Even when CC won the 2024 Rookie of the Year title, he congratulated her via video shared by his former team, Mavs. 

“Caitlin, congratulations on an amazing season. Rookie of the Year is a big honor. You deserve it. Congratulations!” he said. So clearly, the admiration between these two superstars is mutual.

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu