Ranking the WNBA's 15 most clutch players of all time
Key takeaways
- Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne, former WNBA MVPs and two of the most clutch players in league history, will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee.
- Statisticians will say there is no such thing, that players who are good in high-pressure situations are good almost all the time.
- But that's not necessarily how it feels when you're watching basketball and thinking about which players teams want taking a pivotal shot or making the pass that leads to it.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne, former WNBA MVPs and two of the most clutch players in league history, will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee.
What does "clutch" mean? It's largely in the eye of the beholder. Statisticians will say there is no such thing, that players who are good in high-pressure situations are good almost all the time.
But that's not necessarily how it feels when you're watching basketball and thinking about which players teams want taking a pivotal shot or making the pass that leads to it. Or who can be most counted on to grab a rebound, block a shot or get a steal when the game is on the line. You can measure it with stats, but it's also about intangibles and subjectivity.