It's been over four years since the basketball community lost the great Kobe Bryant, but until now, his legacy continues to live on. From young aspiring players to the professionals of today, the Mamba's influence on the basketball community knows no bounds. And on Thursday, it seemed that Bryant may have played a part in Caitlin Clark's record-setting night.
Scoring 49 points en route to a win over Michigan, the highlight of Clark's outing came early in the first quarter, when the Iowa guard broke the NCAA women's basketball all-time scoring record. Thursday's performance now brings her total collegiate points to 3,569, surpassing Kelsey Plum's record of 3,527. And fittingly, she wore the best possible shoes one could step foot in.
Laced around Clark's feet were none other than a pair of yellow-colored Nike Kobe 5 Protro shoes. (per ESPN's Nick DePaula)
Caitlin Clark breaks the all-time NCAA scoring record in the Nike Kobe 5 Protro. đ pic.twitter.com/c8lXwj0u7V
â Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) February 16, 2024
It seemed that the 6-foot guard entered the game with the intent to channel her inner Mamba, and she did just that. Clark's historic performance included nine three-pointers and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Additionally, the 22-year-old also dished out 13 assists and grabbed five rebounds in the win.
Her exact basket that broke the record could also be described as a form of Mamba Mentality. Bringing the ball up the floor, Clark suddenly launched a logo-distance three-pointer with a defender's outstretched arm in front of her.
Splash.
As her shot hit the bottom of the net, the Carver-Hawkeye Arena exploded in a frenzy.
BROKE THE RECORD IN CAITLIN CLARK FASHION đ
(via @BigTenNetwork)pic.twitter.com/LHDWuurWrK
â Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 16, 2024
Iowa's season is ongoing, which means that fans can still witness more Kobe Bryant-like moments from Caitlin Clark moving forward.
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