Michael Jordan vs. Caitlin Clark: A college statistical comparison between NBA legends and NCAA stars

NCAA star Caitlin Clark has etched her name in the history books. She passed former Washington Huskies guard Kelsey Plumb, who scored 49 points against the Michigan Wolverines. Clark now has 3,569 points, the most in women’s college basketball history and closing in on Pete Maravich’s NCAA record. Although it isHe solidified her status as one of the best women’s college basketball players, how will that translate when she steps into the major leagues? Is it easy to dominate the college basketball rankings?

A more detailed comparison with one of the best players on the basketball court, Michael Jordan, paints a better picture.

Michael Jordan and Kaitlyn Clark side by side

Jordan played for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1981-84. He committed to a three-year deal before being drafted by the NBA’s Chicago Bulls. The six-time NBA champion won the NCAA championship in his first year. Jordan was not the team leader, but he was a key player.

Jordan drained a 16-foot jumper with 15 seconds left in the NCAA tournament against Georgetown. As he later admitted, this was one of the turning points of his career. He averaged 13.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

The next year, Jordan took on a more prominent role. He averaged 20 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. It’s safe to say that Jordan had a great offense and a decent defense.

Then, in his final year, Jordan averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He once again successfully stepped into his role as a go-to player for the Tar Heels. With his stunning performance, Jordan won the Naismith and Wooden College Player of the Year awards.

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Overall, he averaged 17.7 points, 5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. In terms of total points, Jordan scored 1,788 points, 509 rebounds and 181 assists in three years. Clark, on the other hand, you dominated the college circuit like a pro.

By comparison, Clark averaged 26.6 points per game in his first year. In addition, she averaged 5.9 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. Clark has been a starter under center for the Hawkeyes since his first year. Her decision to become a student of Lisa Bluder’s has clearly paid off.

In his second year with the Hawkeyes, Clark averaged 27 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists per game. Compared to Jordan, Clark has higher averages in scoring, rebounding and assists. Although Jordan didn’t have much assisting ability in college, Clark also played a supporting role whenever opponents covered Clark.

In his third year with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Clark averaged 27.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game. Clark swept every major college player of the year award this season. Now, in the NCAA 2023-24 regular season, Clark is averaging 32.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game.

As can be seen from the comparison, Clark became a key player for the team in his first year, while Jordan stood out for the team starting in his second year. Clark’s average scoring, rebounding and assist ceilings are also higher, while Jordan’s scoring and rebounding are also good, but he does not play much of a substitute role. Now that the dust has settled on the professional leagues and everything is different, it remains to be seen whether Clark can bring her singing performance to the WNBA.