I wouldn't say people get confused, as much as people have their own definitions and things they value.People get really confused between greatest player and most accomplished player. Greatest player refers to skills, most accomplished refers to championships and MVP awards. There are players that don’t belong on the same court as Clark who have championship rings. That doesn’t mean they are better than her. And what she did getting Iowa to back to back national championship games is far more impressive than winning back to back on a UConn team.
That's why the conversation of greatest player in team sports has its fundamental limitations.
The ability to make winning plays in winning moments is also a skill. But how much a player's teammates contribute to winning isn't a controlled variable.
So it is what it is. Definitely a variety of cases at the table. Which in the end, means there is no college GOAT. It's not about having the best argument. It's about being the greatest