Caitlin Clark joins Lionel Messi and 5x Super Bowl winners as only US sports athletes with merchandise in all Dick's stores

Iowa hoops sensation Caitlin Clark continues to carve out history, both on and off the court.

It was recently reported that the Indiana Fever rookie will become the first female athlete to have her team apparel made available at all Dick's stores in the United States. The merchandise includes T-shirts and jerseys.

She joins soccer legend Lionel Messi, three-time Super Bowl winner Travis Kelce and two-time Super Bowl winner Coach Prime Deion Sanders. They are the only four athletes to have their apparel featured in all 724 Dick's stores across the U.S.

ESPN WNBA reporter Nick DePaula shared the development on X (formerly Twitter):

Caitlin Clark's selection as the first overall pick by the Fever in this year's WNBA draft follows her illustrious collegiate career at the University of Iowa, where she averaged 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists.

In her final year with the Hawkeyes, she broke the longstanding record of NBA legend 'Pistol Pete' Maravich for the most points scored by a Division I basketball player. She finished her career with 3,951 points to Maravich's 3,667.

Furthermore, the games that Clark played last season set benchmarks for NCAA attendance, TV viewership and ticket demand. Pundits and observers expect the WNBA to reap similar benefits now that Clark is in the fold.

A'ja Wilson welcomes advent of Caitlin Clark in the WNBA

WNBA star A'ja Wilson, a key player for the back-to-back league champions Las Vegas Aces, was enthused in welcoming Caitlin Clark to the league. Wilson views Clark's significant popularity as a positive development for women's professional basketball.

As buzz continues to surround the 22-year-old and her career, Wilson believes that Clark's presence will boost the entire WNBA.

"We're popping! It's huge," Wilson said (via people.com). "It really is. It's a big, big deal.

"It's a huge moment for us. It's popping, but I hope it continues. I hope the investment is there to stay and it's not just a trend that's going to fizz out. So, hopefully this summer we have a lot of eyes, a lot of great people that want to see us continue and shine bright. I'm excited to be in it."

The Caitlin Clark Effect will begin in the WNBA on May 3rd when the Indiana Fever takes on the Dallas Wings in a road game.

Meanwhile, Wilson will encounter Clark on the hard court on May 25th in Las Vegas.