Win or lose in the national championship game against South Carolina, Iowa Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark will bid farewell to college basketball as she ventures into a new path - the WNBA scene.
Clark will leave a lasting legacy in the NCAA, as she has already scored 3,921 points. That was enough to break the college scoring records set by Kelsey Plum, Lynette Woodard and Pete Maravich in her four-year stint with Iowa. She was able to gain an enormous fanbase due to her Steph Curry-like range and her leadership on the court.
The six-foot guard expressed satisfaction over the sudden rise of women's basketball, as she has been the primary reason for helping the sport become must-see TV for college hoops fanatics.
"I think it feels like every time we're going into a game in this NCAA Tournament it's like everybody wanted to see this, just one after the next," Clark said. "I think it's good for women's basketball. I think being in this moment before I think gives our group a good understanding of what to expect."
Clark will need another "greatest of all time" effort to overcome the unbeaten South Carolina, which has played solid basketball all season long under the tutelage of coach Dawn Staley.
The Hawkeyes edged the Gamecocks 77-73 in the Final Four last year, and Clark tallied 41 points, eight assists and six rebounds to help her team secure its first NCAA final appearance.
Also Read: Iowa vs South Carolina women's basketball history: H2H, records and more
Is Caitlin Clark going to WNBA in 2024?
In eight days, Clark will be heading to her first stop as a professional player — the 29th WNBA draft.
The back-to-back Naismith College Player of the Year will be the headliner of this year's draft class, which featured the likes of her all-time collegiate adversary and LSU superstar Angel Reese, South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso and UConn forward Aaliyah Edwards.
Indiana Fever, which won the rights to the No. 1 overall pick over the Phoenix Mercury, is expected to pick Caitlin Clark to add more firepower to the team's offense.
She will likely team up with former No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston and team scorers Kelsey Mitchell and NaLyssa Smith.
In Clark, Indiana will secure a sweet-shooting guard who could open up solid interior defenses and a possible "fan darling" due to her charm. The Fever will also gain a player who is known for her uncanny ability to score, solid determination and sheer courage to make big plays when the game is on the line.
Will Caitlin Clark lead the Iowa Hawkeyes to their first NCAA women's championship in history? Let us know in the comments.
Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here