The Ultimate Recognition: Staley’s Praise for Clark Solidifies Her Place Among Basketball Legends
Coach Dawn Staley of South Carolina, who just won her second national title in three years, was quick to give Iowa standout Caitlin Clark credit for bringing women’s basketball to a wider audience following a season in which Clark both raised and broke expectations for the sport.
“I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport,” Staley said. “She carried a heavy load for our sport. It just is not going to stop here on a collegiate tour but when she is the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, she’s going to lift that league up as well.
“So Caitlin Clark, if you’re out there, you are one of the GOATs of our game. We appreciate you.”
In a post-game press conference, Clark addressed the compliments by saying, “Any time someone like coach Staley is able to recognize you and what you did for the game, it’s pretty special, and honestly, she’s somebody I respect so much, I respect what she’s done for South Carolina, I respect what she did as a player for our game, so any time you can get the praises of her it’s pretty special so it means a lot.”
In the opening quarter of Sunday’s national championship game, Clark shattered the all-time NCAA Tournament scoring record, adding yet another honor to her extensive list of achievements, which includes holding the highest NCAA scoring mark in both men’s and women’s basketball. Clark scored 492 points in 17 NCAA Tournament games throughout his career. She finished with 30 points, eight rebounds, and five assists against the Gamecocks.
But in the national championship game, Iowa suffered their second straight defeat, losing 87-75 to South Carolina.
Following South Carolina’s victory over Iowa in the women’s national championship game, Dawn Staley showered Caitlin Clark with adulation.
“Caitlin Clark, you are one of the GOATS of our game.”
@MarchMadnessWBB pic.twitter.com/WAoZOKEuWW
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 7, 2024
It is likely that women’s basketball will keep winning. The Iowa-UConn Final Four clash surpassed the record for the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history, with 14.2 million viewers, peaking at 17 million. As a result, the viewership number for the national championship is eagerly awaited. The previous record, which was set four days earlier when Iowa upset LSU in the Elite Eight and attracted a peak audience of 16 million viewers, was broken by that record.
Additionally, ticket sales soared; in less than 30 minutes, all tickets for Iowa’s NCAA Tournament first and second rounds at Carver-Hawkeye Arena sold out.The women’s Final Four tickets had a get-in price of approximately $965, plus service fees.
Regarding the discussion of the “best of all time,” Clark has undoubtedly joined the ranks of legends like Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Cheryl Miller, Breanna Stewart, and Chamique Holdsclaw. 10.3% of 35 anonymous head coaches surveyed by The Athletic chose Clark as the all-time greatest women’s college basketball player.
Clark earns over 3,900 points as she graduates from Iowa. She will now focus her attention to the WNBA, where she is anticipated to hear her name called first at the April 12 selection in Brooklyn, New York.
(Photo of Caitlin Clark: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)