Caitlin Clark has been compared to Jesus and LeBron James in a bizarre rant from Jason Whitlock, with the commentator warning her of the pitfalls of ‘idolatry.’
The word, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is defined as, ‘the worship of a physical object as a god.’
‘I’m happy for Caitlin Clark, there’s part of me that thinks she’s going to be a force for good, or she can be a force for good,’ Whitlock said on his ‘Fearless’ podcast.
‘But then I remember: so what is idolatry? We’re looking for a LeBron James or Caitlin Clark to do what Jesus can only do. And we start thinking they’re more important than than the truth.
They’re more important, and protecting them, and protecting their image is the most important thing we can do.’
Clark is a national superstar due to her immense success playing basketball at Iowa, where she became the all-time leading scorer (men’s or women’s) in Division 1 history.
Jason Whitlock warned Caitlin Clark of the pitfalls of idolatry as she begins her pro career
Clark, the all-time leading scorer in Division 1 basketball, is expected to debut next month
Whitlock named her alongside LeBron James as another ‘idol’ that people ‘worship’.
I think Caitlin Clark can be a force for good, but then I remember what idols are… We are looking for somebody imperfect to do what only Jesus can do. — Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) April 18, 2024
She was selected by the Indiana Fever with the first overall pick in this week’s WNBA Draft.
Whitlock also suggested that Clark’s fame would ‘destroy’ her.
‘Oh, she’s a woman, she comes from a great family… It’s no protection,’ Whitlock said earlier in the show.
‘It is not protection for what idolatry does to a person. Any of these people we run out here as idols, it ends up destroying them. That’s what happens to child movie stars, that’s what happens now to professional athletes.
Whitlock’s ‘Fearless’ also included this graphic of Clark, Deion Sanders and LeBron James
‘And athletes that are worshipped, and make all the millions of dollars, and everyone just runs around and just kisses their rear end nonstop. Caitlin Clark – does she come from a better family situation than LeBron James? Absolutely… It’s a defense against the kind of idolatry that she’s going to face, but it is no kryptonite for it.’
Whitlock’s show also included a graphic of Clark, Deion Sanders and LeBron James in front of the ‘American Idol’ TV show logo.
Clark is expected to make her WNBA debut next month.