“One player not like the other respectfully”: College hoops fans react amid build up to A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark’s jersey retirement

A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark are regarded as two of the most iconic No. 22s in women's college basketball. Wilson's and Clark's jerseys will be retired in South Carolina and Iowa, respectively. College hoops fans are already buzzing with excitement ahead of the ceremony scheduled to take place on Sunday, Feb. 2.

ESPN made a post on X (formerly Twitter) to announce the special event.

Fans took to the comment section to share varying opinions on who deserved to be honored between Wilson and Clark.

"One player not like the other respectfully," a fan wrote

"One brought a chip to their program and made it into a powerhouse and top destination for future recruits. The other is Caitlin Clark. But congratulations to the both of them on their historic college careers," another fan wrote.

"We only care about Caitlin Clark tbh," a fan commented.

"They are NOT the same A’ja > CC," another fan commented.

However, other fans did not care for the comparisons and simply congratulated the two WNBA stars for their latest achievements.

"What an awesome honor for A'ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark - their jerseys hanging in the college rafters is a lasting tribute to their amazing skills," a fan commented.

"Legends being honored today! A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark left their mark in college basketball, and now their jerseys rise to the rafters where they belong," another fan commented.

"Congrats to both Aja and Caitlin 22 forever legends," a fan wrote.

A'ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark react to their No. 22 jersey being retired

Feb. 2 is an iconic date for two of college women's basketball's all-time greats, A'ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark, whose No. 22 jerseys at South Carolina and Iowa will be taken to the rafters in recognition of their outstanding achievements.

Wilson was a four-time All-American, three-time SEC Player of the Year, and garnered numerous individual honors, including the Naismith College Player of the Year, the Wooden Award, and AP Player of the Year. She also led the Gamecocks to the 2017 national championship.

As a result, South Carolina retired her jersey by raising her No. 22 to the rafters before the game against Auburn. Thereafter, Wilson addressed the crowd in an emotional speech.

"It’s a privilege to be a Gamecocks, to be a part of this community,” she said to the crowd "One of the greatest honors of my life was representing the garnet and black every night. As I look up at the rafters and see my jersey, I’m reminded how important it is to chase your dreams without fear. And the person who taught me that, and is still teaching me, is Dawn Staley.”

Meanwhile, Clark, whose jersey will rise to the rafters of Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on Sunday, said she felt weird going back to the arena and not being able to play. The Indiana Fever star is the all-time leading scorer in the NCAA and a two-time national player of the year with the Hawkeyes.