​The WNBA narrative engine didn’t need any more fuel, but it certainly got some when it emerged that Caitlin Clark finished 11th among guards in player voting for the WNBA All-Star Game. The voting reality is more intricate and nuanced than critics typically admit, yet that hasn’t stopped it from triggering a wildfire of hot takes across the league, as commentators and WNBA analysts weigh in on Clark and the players who cast their ballots as they did.
Stacey Dales, a WNBA alum and NFL Network reporter, dropped by First Take on Friday to share her perspective on how the vote unfolded and why it’s essential to view the results with an appropriate level of skepticism. “We have to be very careful about how we evaluate player voting in the All-Star selection,” Dales said. “They comprise 25% of the vote, the media 25%, and the fans 50%.” She noted that out of a pool of 180 roster players, 85 participated in voting, making it a relatively small sample size.
Dales acknowledged that some players vote for their teammates or friends—indeed, for the entire roster of the team they play on—while others approach the process with seriousness. Still, she stressed that the pool of voters remains limited, and the results should be interpreted with caution.
Even with that caveat, Dales defended Clark against what she deemed an “insulting” ranking. She argued that labeling the Indiana Fever star as unworthy of even being in the conversation about the 11th-best guard in the WNBA is absurd. She added that dismissing Clark’s standing—whether she’s in the top four or a starter among All-Star selections—reveals a broader inattention to the game. To evaluate properly, Dales said, one must study the basketball itself, examine the tape, and consider the full spectrum of players in the league. “There are a lot of great players in this league,” she said, noting that she could talk about them for hours.
Clark, she described, is exceptional, extraordinary, and elite. She is incredibly difficult to defend, wielding sharp angles with and without the ball. She is highly unpredictable on defense, consistently able to shoot from long range, ranging from 25 to 30 feet, with a typical release around the 22-foot mark. Even when facing intense defensive pressure, Clark uses her gather step to create space and still knocks down shots.
What makes her stand out, in Dales’s assessment, is her ability to complicate defensive schemes. She’s tough to blitz, hard to double-team, and, on both scoring and facilitating, she can match or exceed the impact of many players—making her a genuine handful for any defense. All of this explains why Clark draws so much attention and contact from defenders, a testament to the level of respect she commands on the court.