Iowa Hawkeye superstar Caitlin has announced that she will forgo her final year of eligibility and enter the 2024 WNBA draft at the conclusion of the season.
Clark, who could have used the NCAA’s COVID exemption waiver to have a 5th year of eligibility, had little else to prove at the collegiate level, and will instead turn her attention to a national championship run, followed by the WNBA draft.
The Indiana Fever, who currently own the number 1 pick, will almost certainly use the pick to select Clark, who’s established herself as one the best offensive players in college basketball history, male or female. Currently sitting at 3,650 career points, the 22 year old already owns the major college women’s scoring title, and sits just 17 points shy of Pete Maravich’s all-time Division 1 record.
Clark took to social media Thursday afternoon to make the announcement, telling fans “While this season is far from over and we have a lot more goals to achieve, it will be my last one at Iowa. I am excited to be entering the 2024 WNBA Draft.”
“It is impossible for me to fully express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me during my time at Iowa — my teammates, who made the last four years the best; my coaches, trainers and staff who always let me be me; Hawkeye fans who filled Carver every night; and everyone who came out to support us across the country, especially young kids.”
“None of this would have been possible without my family and friends who have been by my side though it all,” Clark continued. “Because of you, my dreams came true.”
If the Fever do select Clark 1st overall on April 15th, they’ll be able to pair her with former South Carolina standout Aliyah Boston to form one of the most dynamic young cores in the league. Currently leading the nation in scoring with 32.2 points per game and assists with 8.7 per night, a potential Clark/Boston pick and roll combination would instantly become one of the most fearsome offensive elements in the W.
With multiple records already under her belt, including being the only Division 1 women’s player to record 3,000 career points and 1,000 assists, the West Des Moines native has one item left on her collegiate bucket list: Winning the Hawkeyes the first national championship in program history.
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