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DALLAS — Caitlin Clark’s heart might be broken after a 102-85 loss to LSU in the national championship game, but let’s be clear about one thing: Her impact is not lessened.
Clark, the super-shooter from Des Moines, has become a household name after the last three weeks after logo 3s that made jaws drop and transition passes that made defenders’ heads spin.
Clark drew the praise of some of the game’s finest, from Steph Curry to Magic Johnson. One of the most gifted passers in the history of the women’s game, some have compared Clark to “Pistol” Pete Maravich, one of basketball’s best showmen, by nicknaming her “Ponytail Pete.” She talks trash, then signs autographs.
The possibility of an explosive game from her is at least partially why more than 6 million people tuned into Friday’s semifinal against South Carolina. Clark more than lived up to the hype that night, pouring in 41 points (her second 40-point game in a row) and handing out eight assists.
With a record-shattering tournament performance — she broke the single-tournament records for most 3s made and most points scored — Clark made a huge impact. That’s been her goal the entire time.
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“I want my legacy to be the impact I have on young kids and the people of Iowa,” Clark said after the title game loss, her voice catching. She covered her mouth with a towel, took a breath and composed herself. “I was that young girl (once). All you have to do is dream, and you can be in moments like this.”
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How incredible to achieve your dream in just three years. Of course Clark still wants to win a title — and she’s still got one, maybe two, years left to do it. A national championship is still within reach, especially if Iowa gets in the transfer portal and finds a post player to replace standout Monika Czinano.
Clark’s coaches, teammates and opponents recognize her impact, too.
Said Iowa coach Lisa Bluder, her eyes shining with tears: “That’s what our whole team is about: They know they’re role models, they relish it. And not just (role models) for young kids either — this team has brightened the lives of so many people of all ages.”
From Czinano: “She’s a phenomenal basketball player, she’s showed that time and time again. But I think the biggest thing is the way she holds herself and the way she plays the game.”
LSU’s Alexis Morris, who harassed Clark into a rough shooting game Sunday afternoon, said Clark is “changing the game right now.” Tigers coach Kim Mulkey called her “a generational talent.”
Sunday, as Iowa and LSU prepared to play each other, Bluder talked about how the obvious joy Clark plays with is “contagious,” throughout the locker room, the state of Iowa and the sports world in general.
“She loves the game of basketball,” Bluder said. “It’s where she wants to be — in a gym. And the bigger the spotlight, the more fun it is for her … we feel like this team brings a lot of joy to the people of Iowa. That is a real honor, to give people happiness that maybe are struggling with things.
“We go to the Children’s Hospital a lot, and those kids over there, when they get to watch that game for two hours and they get to cheer for the Iowa Hawkeyes and be happy about a victory, that’s almost as good as the win right there.”
Clark might not have felt much joy Sunday afternoon, shooting just 9-of-22 from the field, and 5-of-18 after a smoking hot 4-of-4 start. It’s easy to think that all those kids might not have felt joy either, watching their Hawkeyes get dominated by the Tigers for stretches.
Clark’s favorite player, the one she looked up to as a girl, is former UConn and Minnesota Lynx standout Maya Moore, who’s now retired. Drawn to Moore because of her scoring ability and her off-court demeanor and work — Moore famously stepped away from basketball to help free a wrongfully imprisoned man — Clark couldn’t get enough. She watched Moore every chance she could, begging her parents to drive her to Minneapolis, a 3-hour, 30-minute trip from Des Moines.
Now, Clark is that person for kids across the country. That doesn’t change with a loss. Maybe her joy is temporarily gone after the championship game, and that’s understandable. But it will come back, faster than she anticipates. Her impact is monumental.
And really, with so many people tuning into women’s basketball for the first time — partially because they have to see what all the fuss is about Caitlin Clark — she’s just getting started.
Follow colleges reporter Lindsay Schnell on Twitter @Lindsay_Schnell
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