"Got blown a little bit out of proportion": Caitlin Clark clarifies her viral UConn comments while emphasizing on "right decision" of picking Iowa

Iowa phenom Caitlin Clark has clarified her stance on her past remarks regarding her desire to play for the University of Connecticut. With Indiana Fever securing the No. 1 pick in the upcoming 2024 WNBA Draft Lottery, all eyes are on Clark as a potential top pick.

Caitlin Clark's comments stirred up a whirlwind of discussion, particularly after reports surfaced suggesting UConn might have passed on recruiting her. However, Clark herself addressed the situation stating:

"I think that whole thing has kind of got blown a little bit out of proportion," Clark stated. "Every kid grows up... everybody grows up thinking they're going to UConn. Like, everybody wants to go there. Everybody wants to get recruited by Gino,"

She clarified that her decision-making process during recruitment wasn't solely about being courted by powerhouse programs like UConn. Instead, it was about finding the best fit for her aspirations and circumstances.

"What is the best option for myself? And, you know, I went on a lot of visits. And, you know, I quickly figured out I wanted to be close to the state of Iowa"

Clark highlighted the importance of proximity to her home state of Iowa, ultimately leading her to focus on schools in the Midwest.

"Um, you know, other than probably teams in the Midwest. And that's what I started looking at. So, um, you know, I think that was the biggest thing for me"

Her collegiate career at Iowa has been nothing short of remarkable. Clark's achievements include breaking numerous records in women's college basketball. Notably, she became the NCAA Division I Women's Career Scoring Leader on February 15th, 2024, surpassing Kelsey Plum's record.

Her dominance on the court is further underscored by her NCAA single-season record for 3-pointers with a staggering 156. Her recent milestone as the NCAA women's tournament career leader in assists has cemented her place in basketball folklore.

Caitlin Clark's journey from dreaming of UConn to facing them in the Final Four

Caitlin Clark grew up in We­st Des Moines, Iowa. She dre­amt of playing basketball for 11-time champions UConn, coached by the legendary Ge­no Auriemma. Even though Clark love­d UConn, the program didn't recruit her based on her high school prowess at Dowling Catholic High. Clark opened up about it:

"They called my AAU coach a few times, but they never talked to my family and never talked to me."

When questioned about UConn's oversight of Caitlin Clark during her high school days, Auriemma responded with the following:

"There’s a lot of kids we didn’t recruit, and there’s a lot of kids that don’t want to come to UConn."

Auriemma highlighted the mutual aspect of recruitment, stating:

"If Caitlin really wanted to come to UConn, she would have called me. I don’t think that either of us lost out... She made the best decision for her, and it’s worked out great."

Caitlin Clark now helms the­ Hawkeyes, having guided them to a se­cond straight Final Four. Incredibly, their foe in the­ national semis happens to be Auriemma's UConn. A clash of titans awaits ardent hoop fans!