In our current time, we are seeing both the best athletes retiring and the best current athletes achieving greatness. The inclination to favor recent accomplishments is hitting hard in 2020. This month, we observed the crowning of Patrick Mahomes and Caitlin Clark as the best athletes in their respective sports.

Mahomes led an impressive comeback during the Super Bowl and Caitlin Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women’s college hoops. Recency bias is powerful, as people argue over whether Clark is the best player in women’s college basketball history. Yet, we need to return to reality.

Our era always seems to have the greatest athletes, but this is a recurring belief. Mahomes might not surpass Brady’s incredible numbers. Despite that, Mahomes has had an impressive first six years of his career. Clark is considered a generational scorer and playmaker, but she lacks the titles to solidify her place in basketball history.

When debating the greatest women’s basketball players of all-time, it’s important to remember Brittany Griner’s name. Griner’s career was overshadowed by her lack of national titles, but her accomplishments were significant.

The title of the greatest of all-time is a human construct that goes beyond present accomplishments. Let’s see if Clark can prove herself in the NCAA Tournament. Both Clark and Mahomes deserve recognition, but we should consider their place in history before making proclamations.