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Peyton Manning reveals Caitlin Clark's one flaw: 'I forgive her for that'

Brian Jones Profile Picby:Brian Jones05/08/24

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Peyton Manning Caitlin Clark
Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK//Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Peyton Manning has gotten to know Caitlin Clark since they both are connected to the city of Indianapolis. The legendary NFL quarterback loves what the 22-year-old basketball star does on the court, but there is one thing about her that bothers him.

“It’s awesome and, like I said, I really enjoyed getting to know Caitlin even more,” Manning said in a recent interview shared by the Indiana Fever. “Throughout this series, she was a guest on our show, the Monday night show, last year. She’s a Chiefs fan – I forgive her for that – but she said she did grow up kind of watching me play and she’s going to love Indianapolis. I gave her all of my contacts at the airport, at St. Elmo’s… and it’s a great place for her to play, I’m looking forward to watching her.”

Fever fans are hoping Clark does what Manning did when he was with the Indianapolis Colts, and that’s bringing the city a championship. Manning led the Colts to two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl win during the 2006 season. The Fever won the WNBA title in 2012 but have missed the playoffs for the last seven years.

Can Caitlin Clark take the WNBA to new heights?

Clark enters the WNBA with a lot of expectations since she has taken the basketball world by storm this year. But can she become the face of the league and lead the Fever to multiple titles?

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“I don’t think Caitlin’s offensive game has to change one bit at the next level,” a WNBA analyst told ESPN in March when asked about Clark’s offensive game. “I want her to take the same shots and make the same passes, with the hopes that her turnover numbers drop over the course of her career.

“Those bombs, and the threat of pulling up for one every time down the floor, is a key ingredient to Clark’s greatness and popularity. It would be silly to limit that at the next level. Her shot range and ballhandling are keys to manipulating defenses to get teammates open looks. I think that translates, too. It wouldn’t shock me if she averaged around eight assists per game her rookie year.”

Clark made a major impact during her time with the Iowa Hawkeyes. She’s a two-time winner of the AP Player of the Year award and a four-time selection to the USBWA All-America First Team. Clark also led Iowa to back-to-back national championship appearances.