WNBA stat keepers are doing Caitlin Clark dirty

Caitlin Clark thrilled women's basketball fans in college with her incredible scoring touch but life in the WNBA has been much more difficult. The No. 1 overall pick is winless in her pro career so far with an average margin of defeat of 22.6 points. Looks aren't coming as easily as they did in college. Her shots aren't falling as reliably. She's clearly finding it hard to adjust to the speed and physicality of the league.

All that is understandable. She was drafted by the worst team in the league and, despite all the hype, she's still a rookie getting her sea legs. As Sue Bird made clear, the WNBA is and has been a legitimate league filled with very talented and experienced players. It's a whole different ballgame for Clark.

It doesn't help that one negative stat is being inflated for some incomprehensible reason.

Clark leads the league in turnovers and it's not particularly close. She already has 21 in just three games. Well, the stat keepers have charged her with 21. The actual number could be contested.

WNBA stat keepers have explaining to do about Caitlin Clark turnovers

Just take a look at these two plays that were ruled as Clark turnovers:

Stats can be tough to calculate sometimes. It's not always clear who is responsible for a turnover. Sometimes it's a subjective decision. But when a pass hits the hands of a teammate, it feels like the turnover shouldn't be on the player who accurately delivered the basketball.

Even if it wasn't Caitlin Clark, the league's most visible player who the WNBA certainly wants to thrive, those turnover determinations are headscratchers.

Knocking a couple of mislabeled turnovers off Clark's stat sheet wouldn't turn her WNBA debut into a rousing success. At the same time, her eye-popping turnover numbers aren't taking any of the pressure off.