Iowa women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder is definitely happy to see Caitlin Clark take the next step in her career, though it's hard to blame the Hawkeyes tactician for feeling some disappointment as well that her best player and undoubtedly the most electrifying college hoops player today is leaving her program.
Bluder said as much in a recent conversation with the media following Clark's decision to declare for the WNBA Draft. The Iowa coach admitted that she wanted to coach Clark for another year, but she definitely understands the decision and remains supportive of the 22-year-old sharpshooter.
“She's a tremendous player, and we would have loved to have her come back. But also, our job is to have them for four years and support them as best we can and try to prepare them for the next chapter in their lives. Her four years is up, even though she could have come back for another year. She's ready for a new challenge,” Bluder said, via ESPN.
It's understandable where Lisa Bluder is coming from here. This is Caitlin Clark we're talking about. Not only is she the scoring leader in NCAA women's basketball, but she is also on her way to breaking Pete Maravich's scoring record for the most in college hoops history. You just don't find a talent like that every day.
However, as Bluder said, Clark's four years are up, and it's time for her to take on a new challenge as she continues to work on her game and aspire to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
As for the Iowa women's basketball program, hopes are high that Clark, Bluder and the rest of the team can win the big one and end the season as national champions as the Hawkeyes are ranked sixth in the latest Associated Press poll. Sure enough, Clark is determined to make that happen.
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