After a slow start to her third year in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark has emerged as one of the top candidates for this year's MVP honors, and longtime sports commentator Skip Bayless reveals why through one aspect of her game.

Clark was running on fire during the game against the Seattle Storm, as she scored a team-high 32 points, along with 7 assists and 4 rebounds.

Moreover, Clark was drilling threes deep from beyond the arc, as she successfully shot 4-of-7. Bayless suggested that Clark's confidence is a reason she is getting more and more difficult for defenders to keep quiet this season.

"Caitlin Clark is finally regaining her deep-3 confidence ... plus more than ever she's putting her head down and driving through contact ... which is making her extremely difficult to guard. She has 30 through 3 quarters at Seattle." Bayless wrote on X.

This season, Clark is shooting 35.4% from the three-point range, averaging 2.7 made three-pointers per game. The Fever star ranks fourth in this category, just behind the likes of Marina Mabrey, Rhyne Howard, and teammate Kelsey Mitchell.

It is also worth noting that Clark is one of the top players in every offensive category this season, despite having back issues since the start and being on a minutes restriction.

But as Clark and the Fever are progressing every week, we can expect her three-point shooting to increase further. After all, Clark and three-pointers have gone hand in hand ever since her inception in the league.

While that is a probable outcome, Clark has to be on the court to make the difference, and her recent technical foul does not help matters.

Caitlin Clark is Running on Thin Ice with Technical Fouls

On July 22, officials assessed Clark her seventh foul of the season after a heated exchange with Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers. The Fever attempted to appeal the technical, but the WNBA ruled it will not rescind it, a league source confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.

The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The incident with Rivers marked Clark's second technical foul in as many games and drew the referee's attention when Clark told the Sun guard, "Look at the (expletive) scoreboard." The Fever were leading by nearly 30 points.

"She said she was locking me up, so I said 'scoreboard,' and the ref didn't like that," Clark said with a laugh after that game

Regardless, one more slip-up from Clark, and she will be forced to serve a one-game suspension alongside a $1500 fine, which will be harmful for her season averages as one of the top contenders for the MVP honors.

The 18-10 Fever have 16 regular-season games remaining. With Clark ranking fourth in the WNBA in scoring (21.5 points) and second in assists (7.9), every game from here on is important if she wants to reach the top.

So, do you think Caitlin Clark has a shot at winning the MVP if her current form continues? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy