Colin Cowherd Compares WNBA Star Caitlin Clark to Michael Jordan, Steph Curry and Larry Bird's Personality

Caitlin Clark's influence on women's basketball drew another high-profile comparison this week, as sports media personality Colin Cowherd argued the Indiana Fever guard carries traits of three of the NBA's most iconic figures — Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry and Larry Bird — rolled into one player.

Cowherd made the comparison during a conversation with Phoenix Mercury forward Sophie Cunningham on his podcast, framing Clark's impact less around individual statistics and more around the scale of her effect on the sport.

"Well, I mean, let's just say this was the NBA and Caitlin Clark came into the league, and I've compared her to Michael Jordan, where she literally changed the direction of the league," Cowherd said. "You would think it would make sense to talk about Michael Jordan then or Caitlin Clark now. You play with the league superstar."

He went on to break down the comparison piece by piece, tying each NBA legend to a specific aspect of Clark's game and persona.

"You know what? I've said she has a Jordan quality where she literally changes the ratings," Cowherd said. "She has a Steph Curry quality in that she shoots like we've never seen in her sport. She also has a Larry Bird quality, which is she kind of gets pissy, and she's physical, and she's pissy, and there's a Midwest toughness to her. And I think it can rub people, including WNBA rivals, the wrong way."

Cowherd summarized the comparison directly before turning the question over to Cunningham. "I look at her and I think she's got Jordan's ascension, Curry's game, and Larry Bird's personality. Am I wrong?"

Cunningham backs the comparison, with a caveat

Cunningham, who has played alongside and against Clark since her rookie season, largely agreed with the framing, though she offered a small correction on the Bird comparison.

"No, I don't think you are," Cunningham said. "I think that Larry Bird, honestly, might have a little bit more sass. Caitlin is just her own — her own personality, like, especially off the court. Like, she is strictly basketball. She loves to sit on the couch. She loves to watch TV. She's very simple."

Cunningham then pivoted to Clark's broader effect on the league, crediting her with elevating the visibility of a sport that Cunningham said already had significant talent before Clark's arrival.

"It's been a blessing that she has been in our league," Cunningham said. "I think the talent has always been there in our league, but just, like, the eyes and the platform and how she's transforming our game. We can be thankful for the people who came before us, but you can also witness greatness and say that she is great and she has done so much for our sport right now."

Cunningham also pushed back on hesitancy she has observed around fully crediting Clark for her role in the league's growth.

"And I don't know why people are so reluctant to give her her flowers," Cunningham said. "And maybe it is that Midwest mentality that people don't like, but shit, I love it. I'm from Missouri, so I'm like, 'Hey, bring it on, sister.' So I'm a big fan."

Breaking down the three-way comparison

Each piece of Cowherd's comparison points to a different facet of Clark's game and career trajectory. The Jordan comparison centers on trajectory rather than playing style, reflecting Clark's role as the central figure behind the WNBA's recent surge in television audiences, attendance and mainstream attention since she entered the league.

The Curry comparison is more literal, pointing to Clark's shooting range well beyond the three-point arc and her ability to warp opposing defenses simply by drawing attention from distance, a hallmark of Curry's game with the Golden State Warriors.

The Bird comparison, according to Cunningham, is the least precise of the three. Bird built his reputation in part on confidence, trash talk and an outspoken personality on the court, while Cunningham described Clark as more reserved away from basketball, someone who prefers simple routines over a larger public persona.

Part of a broader pattern of attention

The comparison arrives amid continued scrutiny of Clark's impact on the WNBA, a topic that has generated near-constant discussion across sports media since her rookie season. Clark has become one of the league's most closely watched players both for her on-court production and for the ratings and revenue increases that have accompanied her rise.

Cunningham's willingness to embrace the comparison, rather than push back on it, reflects how some of Clark's peers view her role in the league's recent growth. Rather than treating the comparison as an overstatement, Cunningham used the moment to argue that the broader women's basketball community should be more comfortable acknowledging Clark's significance without diminishing the contributions of players who built the league before her arrival.

Whether Cowherd's specific pairing of Jordan, Curry and Bird holds up under closer scrutiny may be beside the point. The larger takeaway, reinforced by Cunningham's response, is the extent to which Clark's presence continues to reshape conversations about the WNBA's direction, visibility and commercial trajectory nearly two years into her professional career.