"Global phenomenon": Fans react as Irish kids' club throws wholesome Caitlin Clark-themed event

Caitlin Clark's influence on the game of basketball cannot be overstated. While the Iowa native has spent her entire college and professional career with Midwest teams, Clark's reach goes far beyond the United States.

This week, Irish basketball club Templeogue showed their love and appreciation for the WNBA superstar with a wholesome Caitlin Clark-themed event for kids. The "Caitlin Clark Challenge," as they referred to it, was held in Dublin on Saturday, and even offered prizes to the young competitors.

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A remarkable 18-month period has propelled Clark from national celebrity to a global icon. Fans on social media were amazed at her impact on the game at an international level.

"In Ireland? She is a global phenomenon," said one fan on X.

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"Baby goat is inspiring people all over the world," said another fan.

"WOW She is the needle," commented one fan.

"CC is a worldwide phenomenon," said another fan.

"This is ridiculously cute!!! The love for CC is worldwide!," said a fan.

"Awww!," commented another fan.

Clark rose to fame in her final two seasons with the Iowa Hawkeyes, leading the program to back-to-back NCAA tournament finals in her junior and senior years. After breaking Pete Maravich's all-time NCAA scoring record (held since 1970), she went on to be selected as the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever.

Clark was sensational during her rookie season, breaking several WNBA records and leading the Fever to the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

She was voted the 2024 Rookie of the Year and was also named the Time Magazine Athlete of the Year.

WNBA veteran DeWanna Bonner shares her excitement at the opportunity to play alongside Caitlin Clark

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark drives the ball against forward DeWanna Bonner at Mohegan Sun Arena. Photo Credit: Imagn

A new-look Indiana Fever team will take the court in 2025 with several additions to the roster. One of those new faces is DeWanna Bonner, who happens to be one of the league's most established and decorated players.

After four seasons with the Connecticut Sun, Bonner signed with the Fever this offseason. The move will see her pair up with Caitlin Clark and Bonner is thrilled about the opportunity to play alongside the talented guard.

Speaking during her introductory press conference, she was asked about her relationship with Clark.

"I couldn't be more excited to step out on the court with Caitlin, said Bonnner. "We actually had a great workout this morning and I think we just feed well off each other ... I hope that I can give her some knowledge to take her game to a different level."

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DeWanna Bonner's experience and knowledge of the league should be extremely beneficial for Clark. Bonner is a two-time WNBA champion, a six-time All-Star and was named to the All-WNBA first-team back in 2015.

About the author

Sahir Bhojwani is a sports enthusiast who has covered a range of sports over his career. Since completing his Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Studies he has gone on to work with numerous companies in the media and tech sector and has over 14 years of experience.

As a writer, his goal is to create informative, data-driven, historically accurate pieces that focus on the fascinating world of sport.

His favorite team is the Golden State Warriors because he lived in the Bay Area for many years and they have an exciting and entertaining brand of basketball. Sahir's favorite coach is the late Jimmy Valvano, for his tenure at North Carolina State. Although he never coached in the NBA, Valvano is considered one of the top coaches and great basketball minds in the history of the game.

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Edited by John Maxwell