Iowa guard Caitlin Clark has taken college basketball by storm over the past two seasons. The women’s college basketball superstar has won several awards and set many records over the past two seasons and has her sights set next on the WNBA.
One of the very last steps of her collegiate career was attending the Wooden Award ceremony, where she made a strong impression on new University of Arkansas head coach John Calipari.
“Had a chance to meet Caitlin Clark at the Wooden Award ceremony, and I am very impressed,” Calipari wrote on social media. “Caitlin has transformed women’s college basketball, but it hasn’t changed who she is and how she treats others.”
Calipari is now the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks men’s college basketball team after leaving Kentucky. He was in attendance at the event as a Wooden Award Legend of Coaching recipient.
The John R. Wooden Award is the college basketball Player of the Year award. It is awarded to the best player in both men’s and women’s college basketball. Voting for the Wooden Award took place from March 19-26 by a collection of voters who either cover the sport or are former winners.
Iowa's Caitlin Clark won the award as the most outstanding player in women’s college basketball for the second year in a row. Purdue’s Zach Edey won the men’s award.
Clark became the seventh two-time winner of the Wooden Award Women’s Player of the Year, joining the likes of Brittney Griner (‘12 & ‘13), Sabrina Ionescu (‘19 & ‘20) and others.
Clark also received a personalized AFC Richmond jersey from Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis at the event. Sudeikis has been one of the most high-profile fans of Clark and attended several games to show his support.
Caitlin Clark taking her talents to WNBA after legendary college career
Caitlin Clark has definitively left her mark on women’s college basketball. In fact, the University of Iowa gave her the ultimate honor when they announced that they will be retiring #22 in honor of Caitlin Clark.
The next step in Caitlin Clark’s basketball journey is taking her talents to the WNBA.
Clark is eligible to be drafted at Monday’s WNBA Draft. She is projected as the consensus first overall pick to the Indiana Fever.
Other teams picking at the top of the draft include the Los Angeles Sparks (#2 and #4), Chicago Sky (#3), and Dallas Wings (#5). Aside from Clark, these teams will have the option to draft some of the other bright stars from women’s college basketball, including South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, Stanford forward Cameron Brink, and LSU forward Angel Reese.
Caitlin Clark eclipsed Kelsey Plum (who won the Wooden Award in 2017) to capture the NCAA women’s career scoring record. She also surpassed Pete Maravich to become the greatest scorer in NCAA Division 1 history, male or female.
Clark leaves as the NCAA women’s basketball leader in a variety of other categories, including scoring average, 3-point field goals, 3-pointers per game, free throws made and attempted, career assists, and assists per game. She ended her collegiate career with 3,951 points and 1,144 assists.
WNBA fans cannot wait to get their first glimpses of Caitlin Clark later this summer.
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