If you have followed women’s basketball or college sports in the past year, the name Caitlin Clark might sound extremely familiar. Whether on a Sportscenter highlight reel, ESPN Instagram post, or the casual news headline, Caitlin Clark, guard at the University of Iowa, has taken the world of women’s basketball and college sports by storm.
Clark, who recently broke the NCAA record for most points scored in a college career by a men’s or women’s player, has cemented her name in the records as one of the biggest basketball sensations to play college basketball. While there are numerous women’s basketball legends — Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, Candace Parker, etc —Caitlin Clark’s story is one that is special and comes at a time where increased social media coverage on women’s sports has intersected with her exceptional play.
To me, what makes Clark’s story so fascinating is the humble beginnings from which it started. Caitlin Clark, who grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, was raised by an incredibly athletic family with several of her immediate family members having played collegiate sports. Brent Clark, Caitlin’s dad, notably told the story of how “he had [Caitlin] play with the boys” on an AAU club basketball team due to being unable to find a “girls league for her age growing up.” Funny enough, her AAU team ended up winning the state championship that year. Clark started to catch the attention of basketball fans and coaches through her play at Dowling Catholic high school where she was named a McDonald’s All-American player and ranked amongst the top in the nation.
Most intriguing about her story is where she chose to go to college. Clark was recruited by numerous schools with championship winning programs where Clark was certain to create a name for herself including Notre Dame, Oregon, and Texas. However, Clark had her sights set somewhere else. A hometown girl with strong family connections, Caitlin Clark decided on staying in her home state of Iowa, playing at a school where she knew she could have an immediate impact on the program, players around her, and the local community. She wasn’t eyeing the “blue blood” programs with a cloud of prestige looming over them. Rather she sought to use her talent to generate a different kind of impact. Thus, Clark chose University of Iowa.
Clark, a point guard, is most notorious for her remarkable shooting accuracy and range. In her four years at Iowa, Clark has impressed legends across men’s and women’s basketball with her knack for shooting the ball, assisting her teammates, and being a team leader. Not only is she a shooting threat from everywhere, but she can also find any open teammate, making teams rethink their defense anytime Clark is on the court. Rebecca Lobo, a sport’s analyst, chimed in on Clark’s record-breaking play stating, “It’s rare that someone comes along and changes how a sport is played. Clark has done that.” She has contributed to the incredible development of the Iowa basketball program, shown in Iowa’s near championship run in the 2023 NCAA tournament solely ending in a loss in the national championship to LSU.
Caitlin Clark has helped foster an increasingly positive outlook on women’s basketball. In a world where women’s basketball is constantly compared to men’s basketball, Clark’s play has demonstrated the immense skill present in the women’s game. Coverage of Clark has sparked increased coverage of other talented players in the women’s game. Along with other star college players Angel Reese, Hailey Van Lith, Cameron Brink, Paige Bueckers, and many others, the excitement being generated around the upcoming 2024 NCAA March Madness tournament is unprecedented. Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe, well known sports commentators, have heavily discussed the impact of such excitement surrounding coverage of Caitlin Clark and women’s college basketball extensively. Sharpe bluntly stated the depth of women’s basketball players and storylines he can discuss whilst not being able to “name five guys who play college basketball.”
Clark, who recently announced this is her last year at Iowa, is set to be the first pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. She will most likely be drafted to the Indiana Fever teaming up with Aaliyah Boston, a defensive powerhouse who won the 2022 NCAA national championship with South Carolina. The average price for the Indiana Fever’s season opener is sitting between $400-$500 dollars. “It’s Clarkonomics,” said basketball analyst Deb Antonelli referring to the ability for Caitlin Clark to generate buzz and interest around women’s basketball.
On the night that Clark broke the all-time NCAA scoring record, University of Connecticut women’s basketball legend and hero Maya Moore came down to Iowa to surprise Caitlin. In a touching interaction Clark shared memories of going to Minnesota Lynx games, where Moore played professionally, and the importance of Maya Moore as a role model in her game growing up. Symbolically, Maya Moore was passing down the torch to Caitlin Clark as she embarks on a journey of professional basketball where she has the capacity to impact more young boys and girls playing basketball. I, personally, cannot wait to see how the positivity and excellence that Clark has brought to the game will push women’s basketball to break more boundaries and become the forefront of college sports.