Caitlin Clark makes feelings known on WNBA expansion possibility in Kansas City: "I’d love to play here"

On Tuesday, Catlin Clark was the featured guest at the 2025 Win for KC Women's Sports Awards, held at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. This event pays tribute to women and girls in the Kansas City area whose hard work in sports and fitness has had a tremendous impact.

During the event, Clark was asked whether Kansas City would be a suitable place for a WNBA expansion team. Born and raised in nearby Iowa, she had this to say in response:

“I’ve always said KC would be a great place for a team," Clark said. "I’d love to play here [at T-Mobile Center]!”

Thus far, Clark has spent most of her playing years in the Midwest. She played for four years on the varsity team of Dowling Catholic High School, located in West Des Moines, Iowa. Caitlin Clark's popularity grew a hundredfold as she became the face of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, leading to her selection as the 2024 No. 1 draft pick of the Indiana Fever.

Small wonder, then, that Clark was called upon to be the special guest for this event held by the Women's Intersport Network for Kansas City. In a press release by the organization back in November — when the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year was announced as the event's featured speaker — Clark offered kind words for the accomplishments of Win for KC:

"WIN for KC are incredible champions for creating opportunity for girls and women through sports and I’m excited to join them to celebrate those that are making an impact."

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Caitlin Clark thanks her former Iowa head coach at jersey retirement ceremony

Two days before the Win for KC event, Clark received a special dose of Midwestern love when the University of Iowa held a ceremony to retire her no. 22 jersey.

During this ceremony, Clark expressed her gratitude to her former Hawkeyes coach, Lisa Bluder, whose retirement from coaching coincided with Clark's departure to go pro:

"I'm pretty overwhelmed right now. There's a lot of people to thank," said Clark. "I'm pretty lucky enough that I got to play here and play for coach Bluder, somebody that believed in me probably more than anybody."

Jan Jensen, Bluder's successor as Hawkeyes HC, Stephanie White, Clark's Indiana Fever coach, and Caitlin Clark's family were also in attendance at the jersey retirement ceremony.