No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Caitlin Clark is set to start her professional career with the Indiana Fever Friday in a preseason game vs. the Dallas Wings, but it was a decade-old encounter with Maya Moore that she credits for profoundly influencing her journey.
Clark recalls the moment, a brief hug with Moore after a Minnesota Lynx game when she was just 12 years old, as a pivotal experience in her life.
“Ten seconds can go a long way in somebody’s life,” Clark said, as reported by Lindsay Schnell of USA Today. “That’s a good lesson whether you play sports or don’t play sports, how you treat somebody matters.”
The encounter took place during a family trip from Des Moines, Iowa, to Minneapolis, organized by her father, Brent Clark. At the time, Moore was at the pinnacle of her career, leading the Lynx to multiple championships and earning the 2014 WNBA MVP title. For young Clark, the chance to meet her idol was a dream come true. The memory is still vivid for Clark, who now finds herself in a similar position to Moore, inspiring the next generation of young athletes.
As Clark prepares for her debut in the WNBA, her thoughts are on more than just basketball; they are on the impact she can have on her fans, especially young girls. Inspired by Moore’s example, Clark makes a concerted effort to engage with her fans, ensuring that they feel acknowledged and appreciated.
“I just try to take as much time as I can for those young girls because Maya was so nice to me when I ran up to her, and that’s something that’s stuck with me all the way until I’m 22 years old,” Clark said.
“It’s super sweet to know that the time you take with the people who love watching you play matters and means something,” said Moore. “It’s not necessarily about performing a certain way but being as genuine as I can, because that’s what people need … it’s humbling and encouraging to know I had a part in helping Caitlin continue that spirit of being good to people. It’s another reminder that we all have a role to play, and all have the ability to influence someone.”
Maya Moore praises Caitlin Clark
Moore, who has watched Clark rise through the ranks, praises her for being more than just a talented athlete.
“She is someone, I think, who’s a lot more than stats. She tries to bring that passion and joy to her community,” Moore said. “I look forward to seeing how she uses her influence, how she’ll make her community better, her teammates better.”
Clark's influence is already being felt across the women’s basketball community. Her time at Iowa saw her team achieving impressive records, including securing the NCAA Divison 1 record for most points, and bringing joy to fans, a sentiment echoed by her coach Lisa Bluder and her father. The latter shared touching stories of how Caitlin’s games provide joy to fans during tough times.
“She gives people hope, she brings them joy − just by being who she is,” Brent Clark said.
Women's basketball exploding in popularity
As the women's game grows in popularity, figures like Clark are at the forefront of this evolution. Cheryl Reeve, the Olympic coach who also coached Moore, points out that the WNBA's longevity has allowed young girls to grow up with female basketball role models, fostering a new generation of players who aspire to emulate stars like Breanna Stewart, Moore, and now Clark.
The full circle of influence is evident as Clark acknowledges the significant role Moore played in shaping her career and aspirations. “It’s super sweet to know that the time you take with the people who love watching you play matters and means something,” Moore reflected on her influence on players like Clark.
“We call it a movement because we’ve already had moments,” Reeve said. “Now we’re in a movement, and I think it’s a direct correlation to the WNBA being in existence for 28 years. What you have is young, aspiring players − women, girls − that are playing at a much younger age, honing their skills at a much younger age. They’re in their backyard, they’re saying, ‘I wanna play like Breanna Stewart’ or Caitlin Clark wants to play like Maya Moore. Maya Moore wanted to play like Cynthia Cooper.”
This connection came full circle when Moore surprised Clark before her game at Iowa where she surpassed Pete Maravich’s scoring record, an event that visibly moved Clark and reinforced her admiration for Moore. She reflected on the significance of the embraces she received from Moore, noting that each hug had “magnitude.” She credited her passion for women’s basketball to the WNBA legend, saying, “(it) was because of her (Moore) and how good the Lynx were.”
“I wanted to be just like her,” Clark said.
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