Amid the excitement of the NCAA tournament, Iowa women's basketball standout Caitlin Clark is the talk of the town, not just for her games, but for her recent invitation to the Team USA basketball training camp and a staggering offer from Ice Cube's BIG3 league, both of which have elicited candid reactions from her coach Lisa Bluder.
As Iowa gears up for their Sweet Sixteen showdown with Colorado on Saturday, it was announced Thursday that Clark was named the only current college player on the USA Basketball's training camp roster, an essential step in assembling the team for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Scheduled during the women's Final Four, the camp in Cleveland from April 3-5, is a prelude to selecting the final 12 who will wear the national colors in Paris. The roster includes nine experienced Olympians like Diana Taurasi and A'ja Wilson.
The invitation reflects Clark's impressive resume, including the consensus national player of the year accolade in 2023, and strong prospects for 2024. However, her attendance hinges on Iowa's progress in the women's NCAA Tournament, and Bluder, Bluder ‘hopes' Clark doesn't make it to the Olympics training camp.
“We hope she’s not there, Bluder said, per Nancy Armour of USA Today Sports. If Clark was able to attend the training camp, it would mean Iowa got knocked out of the tournament. The Final Four games are on April 5.
Caitlin Clark's BIG3 offer creates buzz
Clark also finds herself at the center of an unexpected $5 million contract offer from the BIG3 for her participation in its upcoming season. The offer, confirmed by BIG3 founder Ice Cube, would catapult Clark to becoming the highest-paid female basketball player for a 10-game commitment.
The offer came as news to Clark, who said she “found out about the BIG3 thing at the same time” everyone else did.
The BIG3 uses a 3-on-3 format. According to Ice Cube, Clark would play in at least eight regular-season games, with the playoffs offering up to two additional games. The offer, which also includes merchandise and sponsorship deals, is designed to be compatible with a WNBA career.
Lisa Bluder said Clark had told her about the Team USA training camp, but did not go into details about the BIG3 offer.
“The other stuff, that's just crazy,” the Iowa coach said.
Clark's dominance in NCAA basketball, which includes surpassing scoring records and leading Iowa to the Sweet 16, has put her in the spotlight for the upcoming WNBA draft, where she is expected to be the first pick. Her BIG3 contract would dwarf the WNBA's top salary.
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