Indiana Fever guard and former Iowa great Caitlin Clark trotted up the court in Carver-Hawkeye Arena as her team held a double-digit lead -- as she's done so many times before. She eyed the shot clock as it ticked down, surveying the court for her best options to score -- as she's done so many times before. With less than 30 seconds on the shot and game clocks and seeking a two-for-one scoring opportunity, Clark launched a triple from 30+ feet out (36 feet, to be exact) just behind her "22 Clark" sticker that signifies where she broke the NCAA Division I women's scoring record. And she buried the triple -- like so many times before.
Then the home crowd, a mixture of Indiana Fever and Iowa Hawkeye fans, erupted -- like they have so, so many times before.
What was a unique part of the Sunday's 108-44 win over the Brazilian National Team for Clark and her teammates was playing in college arena as professionals -- Clark's home turf, to boot. Even though Clark is over a year removed from her time donning black and gold, fans traveled from all over the country to see the once-in-a-generation talent hit her signature shot.
"I know coming in today, everybody wanted me to shoot one from there," Clark smiled, sharing her thoughts in the postgame press conference. "It was 30 seconds on the clock, which like between 30 to 33, that's like your two-for-one range where you have to get one up. So, I saw 30 as we're inbounding the the ball ... I was like, 'Okay, why not? Might as well launch one.' That was pretty fun."
Fun, heartwarming and gratitude-inducing.
"It's hard to put into words, like what exactly today means to me," said Clark, who finished with 16 points and six rebounds in just under 19 minutes. "It's almost overwhelming to a point. I'm just very, very thankful to be able to come back to a place that continues to support me."
Playing another game at CHA was like reuniting with 15,000 old friends as well for Clark, who many consider to be the greatest college basketball player of all time.
"I don't know, there's something about this gym and these shoes," Clark smiled, referring to her Nike Zoom Kobe (Bryant) 5 Protro Bruce Lee signature shoes that she wore in several big games as a Hawkeye. "They just make me play well. ... There's something about it, but I just have a lot of gratitude and I'm just thankful."
It wasn't just fans, either -- Clark was also grateful to have an opportunity to see friends and family that she doesn't get to see often with her busy schedule.
"Seeing old friends that are having a great time getting to watch me do my thing that don't play basketball anymore, that are just my friends," Clark said. "Spending time with them. Even though it was just dinner last night, it's just fun to come back here and feel like you're in college again in a way. ... I can share it with my family, too. A lot of them were here. My grandparents were here, and they don't get to come to many games, either. These are the moments that you never take for granted and you just want to stay in for forever. I'm certain I'll be looking back at a lot of pictures and videos from today."
Like Clark said after the game, the event was "so much bigger than basketball." Among the thousands in attendance were a host of young boys and girls who adore and look up to the Des Moines native.
"Seeing them stand there and scream for me to sign their stuff -- I don't take that for granted," Clark said. "That's so cool. I'd be lying to you if I thought that was normal. ... I'm glad I can be a role model for them, and they have a great impact on me, too. That's why you do it."
The interest and attention of those little girls and little boys will be pivotal in carrying forward the WNBA and women's basketball, which has set record numbers over the last several years thanks to Clark's ridiculous shots and performances with the Hawkeyes and the Fever. The events in Iowa City were just the latest iteration in Clark's career that has transcended the sport.
"I think being on ESPN [for today's game] really helps," Clark laughed. "Getting to interact with the Brazilian National Team -- even after the game, too -- how thankful they are for not only what I've done, but my teammates have done and what the WNBA has done to grow the game of basketball and provide them opportunities like this. ... I hope there are more and more games like this back at college campuses. I would love to come back here. I don't know if it'll be next year, but within the next few years I think it just continues to grow the game and that's the end goal at the end of the day."
