Caitlin Clark: Leading the Next Generation of Women’s Basketball
Ian Dinsay
Stillman News Writer
Over the last few years, Caitlin Clark has become a household name. Clark was a highly recruited prospect at Dowling Catholic High School in West De Moines, Iowa. Over her first couple years at Iowa, the McDonald’s All-American led the nation in scoring. In the 2023 season, Caitlin was at the top of her game, winning National Player of the Year and leading the Iowa Hawkeyes to the National Championship featuring Iowa and LSU. This star-studded match between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese drew in 9.9 million viewers. This figure set records for ESPN platforms’ most viewed college basketball game, and the most watched women’s college basketball game of all time.
The star guard has capitalized on her marketability through partnerships with various companies. In October of 2022, Nike announced that Clark was one of five student athletes to receive a NIL deal with the iconic sportswear brand. This list also includes top prospects Bronny James, Juju Watkins, Haley Jones, and DJ Wagner. When asked about what a Nike deal means to her by ESPN reporter Nick DePaula, she said “I grew up watching Nike athletes across all sports play their game. They have inspired me to work hard and make a difference. I’m humbled to be part of this first Nike Basketball class and passionate about inspiring the next”.
In her latest commercial with State Farm, Clark is joined by NBA legend Reggie Miller, and Heat forward Jimmy Butler. This star-studded ensemble not only showcases Clark’s rising status in the basketball world but also underscores the crossover appeal of women’s basketball. Caitlin Clark has been instrumental in narrowing the gender gap in sports. Her success has brought more attention to women’s sports, with a record-breaking 350,000 tickets sold for Women’s March Madness and a sellout crowd of around 20,000 for the National Championship.
Clark and other women’s basketball players’ efforts to expand the sport will continue to come to fruition in the coming months. During the 2024 NBA All-Star weekend, the WNBA will feature Sabrina Ionescu, a former college basketball star at Oregon, in a 3-point contest against one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, Stephen Curry. This event emphasizes the increase in recognition of women’s talent in sports.
As the world of sports continues to evolve and grow, we can expect to see more athletes like Caitlin and Sabrina pushing boundaries and breaking down barriers. With their dedication, passion, and hard work, they are inspiring a new generation of athletes and proving that gender is no barrier to success. Clark is expected to go number one overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft if she decides to forgo her additional year of college eligibility. In the meantime, she looks to add another accolade to the list by passing Kelsey Plum on the all-time scoring list for women’s basketball. As of the seventh of February, the guard is 66 points behind Plum.
Contact Ian at ian.dinsay@shu.edu