Think of some of the most influential names in basketball. There is no shortage of impactful athletes, like Lebron James, Michael Jordan, A'ja Wilson, Sue Bird, and more. What if one of those players to change the game over the last five years was still in college?
Caitlin Clark has been the best college player this season for the Iowa Hawkeyes. The homegrown talent from Des Moines (DUH MOYN), Iowa is on the cusp of accomplishing history in her next game. She has scored 3,520 career points, and is 8 points away from becoming the new leader in NCAA career points. The current leader is Las Vegas Aces point guard Kelsey Plum. This would be Clark's 126th career game, while Plum played 139 games to set the points record. Aside from the statistical leaderboards is the influence she has on the game at such a young age. Everywhere she goes, people will travel long distances, and stadiums will sell out, just to watch the 22-year-old superstar.
After every Iowa Hawkeyes game, Clark is swarmed by fans wearing her jersey and wanting it signed, or desiring a picture with the star. She makes time to sign as many jersey's and take as many pictures as she can, and it's because she knows what it's like for her fans. Clark used to be that young girl looking up to her basketball heroes, dreaming of one day filling up arenas herself. Thanks to Clark's talent, that dream has become a reality and she returns the favor to fans who watch her. Shortly after their run to the championship game, season tickets for the 2023-24 season sold out for Iowa women's basketball. The Hawkeyes play in front of a sold out home crowd every game, which makes historic moments that much sweeter. Clark is impacting more than just one stadium, though. Every stadium Iowa has played at, whether home or away, has been sold out. In their recent loss to Nebraska, the Cornhuskers played in front of a sold out home crowd for the first time ever. The Hawkeyes are also setting television viewership records, with hundreds of thousands of fans tuning in to see Clark's greatness. They played the Cornhuskers on Super Bowl Sunday, where millions of fans are expected to tune in to the Big Game. Even though they did, it wasn't before 1.8 million viewers watched the upset featuring the Hawkeyes. Since Clark is capturing all this attention during the season, more and more people have been astonished by her achievements.
Clark started off her senior year fresh off a National Championship appearance, where the Hawkeyes fell to the LSU Tigers 102-85. Iowa is currently fourth in the country with a record of 22-3 this season. Clark is averaging 32.1 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.0 assists per game, with shooting splits of 47.3/39.3/85.0%. She is the first Division one player to eclipse 3,300+ points, 1,000+ assists and 850+ rebounds in a career, showcasing her ability to do it all on the floor. One thing Clark showed throughout her career is her embrace of the big moments. She's hit countless shots from well beyond the three point line, along with making game-winning shots and plays. When defenses face Iowa they need to give Clark the "Curry treatment" which is guarding her heavily when she crosses halfcourt because of her shooting ability. There's no doubt her skill would make this scoring feat last much longer, and Clark would be the best person to break Plum's record.
When Plum was asked by NBC about Clark breaking her long-standing record, she responded "Oh man, I am super happy for her — she can have it. I think it is really cool to see her do it, in the fashion she is doing it, bringing attention to the game. We have to make sure we show her a ton of love outside of her performance. At the end of the day, it will come naturally, she is a baller." Various players in the WNBA have shown her great respect for what she's doing, and it's clear she's headed there after Iowa. The history Clark is making is unprecedented in women's basketball, but that goes with the player accomplishing it. According to TickPick, tickets for the upcoming Iowa game are selling for north of $300 because of the impending history about to be made. This is the largest amount for a ticketed women's basketball game, nearly doubling the reported $150 needed for a 2022 WNBA All-Star game ticket. The effect of Clark is impacted in so many ways and it shows she's a force to be reckoned with. Through all the accomplishments, she is hoping to clear one final obstacle of winning a championship for her Iowa Hawkeyes this season.
The Iowa Hawkeyes matchup against the Michigan Wolverines tonight at 8:00 PM EST on Peacock.