Breakdown of Caitlin Clark’s Game

Caitlin Clark has changed the game of basketball as we know it. She is most noted for taking the Iowa Hawkeyes to the National Championship in 2023. She is currently leading the country in points per game (32) and assists (7.6) and the Hawks are ranked #2 in the country.
You can find the following chapters in the video
00:19 - Deep Range Creates Easy Driving Lanes
01:22 - Sponsorship Promo [www.hoopsking.com]
02:07 - Speed and Conditioning
02:48 - Transition Passing
03:29 - 1 Dribble Stepback [Favorite Move]
04:25 - Tells [Right Drive, Shooting Left]
05:40 - Weaknesses [Shooting on the Move to Her Right]
06:29 - Weaknesses [Driving to Her Left]
07:42 - How Do You Slow Her Down?
This video is sponsored by www.hoopsking.com?aff=166 and the customized board you see in the video is the actual board that was made for me. Get yours today!

[@TheFilmRoom1]

To get your customizable board, here’s the link 👉🏾 tr.ee/PWQMUIoSWd

[@neilkokemuller7841]

I have watched a lot of breakdowns of her game. This is easily the most comprehensive and accurate. Regarding her tells/weaknesses, the biggest problem for defenders is she has an elite IQ and reacts quickly to what is happening. This is something opposing coaches point out as the most difficult task when playing her. If you take away her shot, she drives. If you take away the drive, she shoots. If you double, she makes an elite pass.

[@TheFilmRoom1]

Thanks for the comment. And you’re exactly right. Her instincts are on another level, and the game moves so slowly for her that she’s able to react to almost everything.

[@skysurfer5cva]

@@TheFilmRoom1 It's the midi-chlorians. 🙂

[@brightkari]

this is such a fire channel

[@TheFilmRoom1]

I appreciate it!

[@PodcastViceVersa]

Yes

[@user-sy7cv9rn8j]

She´s awesome and my favorite part of her game is the court vision and passing, she creates so much for her teammates. Another weakness is she does not use her midrange, and when she does she always tries to add the stepback to it, which in the league she will get blocked a lot if she does that. Also you´re right about forcing her drive left because a lot of her TO´s lately is her losing the dribble, travelling or picking up the dribble too early going left

[@TheFilmRoom1]

You really know her game. Thanks for the comment!

[@kurtjohnson4816]

The issue with her left hand drives was a good point last year. She's clearly worked on that, and is driving/scoring a lot more with her left hand this season.

[@TheFilmRoom1]

I agree - it has improved for sure (ironically she hit a lefty layup to move into 2nd all-time in scoring against NW) but you can tell she’s not nearly as comfortable with it as her right, like most people. Thanks for the comment!

[@darchon5]

Thanks for the very nice analysis, just a couple of issues regarding your discussion about pushing Clark left on drives: - You suggest closing in on her step back left and being physical if she decides to transition from driving left into the step back, but as you may know many defenders already try this. The problem is that they usually do not have the length or athleticism to recover and close in quickly enough. And quite a few do tend to cheat right, which then naturally leads to more spacing on her step backs, esp when she jabs right. And as you touched on briefly, she's still deadly from distance a lot of times even with somebody in her face. - You give the impression that she seldom drives left all the way to the rim and if so then does not or cannot finish with her left, when in fact she's been working on it esp this season and actually has decent amount of drives left, and more than a few left-handed finishes (incl the one getting her to #2 all-time in the last game). But yes, of course she finishes with her right hand a great majority of the time.

[@TheFilmRoom1]

Good points. I’m not saying you’re going to keep her from scoring if you do this, I’m saying if you could choose between her shooting a left hand vs right hand layup, always choose the drive left, and then you have to know that when she goes left - she’s wanting to shoot the step back rather than get all the way to the rim. I told someone else in the comments about the lefty layup at NW, and I know she’s improved her left since last year. The intent was to discuss what’s the best way to slow her down, and I hope you can agree it’s trying to takeaway straight line drives with her RH and comfortable step back 3 going to her left.

[@darchon5]

@@TheFilmRoom1 Yes I get that and your analysis is spot on, it's just that your suggestion is so much easier said than done to "takeaway straight line drives with her RH and comfortable step back 3 going to her left" because of the length/athleticism issue I mentioned for most players, so it's actually giving her that much extra space when most of them cheat right. Unless you have a 5-star defensive stud, I do not believe it's advantageous to take away driving right, because Clark attempts a lot more 3s than drives, and after watching most of her attempts for 3 yrs imho she goes to her step back more than driving right. Thus, as a typical defender I'd rather just ride her as much as I can at the 3 pt line, and rely on teammates collapsing if she gets past me to try to make her give the ball up. Cuz she's most prone to her many turnovers when passing.

[@TheFilmRoom1]

I think that’s really smart. I don’t disagree with that suggestion!

[@joshuat6124]

Greay breakdown coach, i learn so much from your videos!

[@TheFilmRoom1]

I appreciate that, Joshua. Thanks for the support & taking the time to comment.

[@oOblistexOo]

awesome channel ❤

[@TheFilmRoom1]

I appreciate it!

[@sanguisbibimus]

This great info and presented in a way that was genuinely and pleasantly polite.

[@TheFilmRoom1]

I appreciate that. I’m a big fan of hers, but also try to be as objective as I can. Thanks for commenting!

[@sanguisbibimus]

@@TheFilmRoom1I was like, this dude has to be a fellow Iowan!

[@TheFilmRoom1]

I’m actually from Iowa and I played at Iowa State. CC was in high school when I was playing right up the road, so I knew about her back then. Been really fun watching her develop.

[@user-ri5zf5po4p]

Thanks

[@brianmunroe7117]

She's a legend already. Such a great inspiration for the youth & torch bearer for the sport

[@michaelashton4050]

WOW! Impressive analysis. 🎉

[@TheFilmRoom1]

Thanks Michael!

[@gabrielperez82204]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@roberthoneywell]

I'm thinking maybe her opponents don't give her enough cred for knowing what the defenses are trying to do. It's obvious she's watched a lot of basketball and knows all the defenses and what they're supposed to accomplish. If you are playing her tight, which you have to do to avoid the 3, she has the advantage of watching the defense move behind you, and she will very quickly shake you to fill an open space to shoot or pass the ball for an assist. She also has the advantage of knowing that the defense is keying on her, in every game, and she manipulates them into doubling or tripling up on her and getting the ball to someone with an open shot.

[@user-sy7cv9rn8j]

You are right and the only coach who "respect" her game enough is Geno tbh, in the two matchups he had Edwards and other taller forwards hedging her so she could not see the floor for the pass and had to retreat, he also took the center out (Clarks´favorite target to pass), so he forced her to think too much resulting in a bad shooting performance in both games.

[@gualbertogarcia305]

THE GREATEST FEMALE COLLEGE BASKETBALL SHOOTER OF ALL-TIME.

[@jalencarter3092]

📝

[@Anthony01538]

Future piston right here

[@chasmn84]

Not enough people subscribed to this channel!

[@TheFilmRoom1]

I appreciate it!

[@wingingitwithbleep8934]

force her left

[@RichardIILionheart]

Easier said than done.

[@Potbelly76]

Stepback in your face

[@dannyballenger3340]

It's simple she plays good until championship and then she blows it

[@TheFilmRoom1]

I think that might be an oversight. She has 30/8/5 in back to back championship games. You would consider that to be blowing it?

[@lxlthr4058]

She's #1 in conference history in turnovers, #7 all time in NCAA. Will finish in top 5. Has never come close to making half her shots in a season. She's talented, but she always has the ball and has inflated numbers because of it... points, assists, and turnovers.

[@TheFilmRoom1]

You’re correct about the TO’s, no argument here. Your comment about her FG% is off-base. In her 3 years in college she’s shot 45.2%, 47.3%, and this year she’s at 47.5%. To say she’s never come close is a mischaracterization. I also agree she has the ball in her hands more than anyone in basketball, the question I would ask you is, if anyone else in WBB had the same opportunity, could they lead their team to a national championship game, be ranked top 10 this season, and/or do what CC does on a nightly basis?

[@TaiyouArt]

You act like she has the ball in her hand and she’s advantaged somehow. Every other coach could put the ball in their players hand but they know they’re not nearly efficient as she is. She has elite offensive efficiency, hence the coach wants the ball in her hand. Led the D1 in assists .