"We made SportsCenter top 10": Caitlin Clark takes stroll down memory lane to breakout game that left her and coach Lisa Bluder in awe

By Ernesto Cova

Modified Apr 09, 2025 22:50 GMT

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FEB 02 Women — Caitlin Clark was destined to greatness

It's been a while since we've known Caitlin Clark as the rising superstar she is. However, that wasn't the case a couple of years ago.

While some had already kept tabs on her as a potential WNBA star, it wasn't until her explosion vs. Michigan on February 6, 2022, that the rest of the world took notice.

In a recent interview with David Letterman, published on Tuesday, the Indiana Fever star admitted that watching her own highlights on "SportsCenter's Top 10" was like her "Oh my gosh" moment, even though she wasn't fully aware of what that meant at the time:

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"Coach Bluder wasn't even that mad that we didn't win. She was like, staring at the TV like, ‘Oh my gosh,’" Clark said. "Everybody was just kind of in awe. Even i was like ‘Wow, we’re on SportsCenter. We made SportsCenter top 10.’ I would stay up as a kid and watch that. So, I think that was definitely kind of my 'Oh my gosh' moment for sure, but I didn't realize it at the time, probably."

The Hawkeyes weren't at full strength for that game, and weather delays affected Iowa's travel and preparation, so Clark took matters into her own hands. She finished the game with 30 points, including four 3-pointers in the final six minutes, but her team still lost 77-75. Even so, it was the beginning of a legend.

Caitlin Clark bulked up during the offseason

Caitlin Clark is coming off a rookie season for the ages, but she's far from satisfied. While there are no doubts about her skills or talent, she could've used a little more muscle to finish through contact and endure the wear and tear and physicality of the league.

That's why she decided to hit the weight room hard in the offseason and make the most of this free time to bulk up. In a recent interview with The Athletic, Indiana's new coach, Stephanie White, opened up on Clark's transformation:

"She is stronger, first and foremost. She figured out right away, 'I need to get stronger, I can't get knocked around as much.' She's done a great job in the weight room, working on balance, strength, and control. The next step is efficiency-fewer turnovers, better shooting percentages," said White.

Clark is already one of the faces of the league, and this is just the beginning of what promises to be a legendary career.

About the author

Ernesto Cova is a journalist at Sportskeeda with a PhD in Sports Psychology. His education helped him develop a clearer understanding of the sports world as a whole, including basketball. Ernesto has over eight years of experience in the field, working for Fadeaway World, The Inquisitr, NBA Blast, The Cold Wire and Bolavip, among others.

His favorite team is the Chicago Bulls because of the Michael Jordan era. Jordan is Ernesto's all-time favorite, as he changed the game forever. Ernesto's second favorite was Kobe Bryant because he embodied that same competitive fire and Ernesto watched him play throughout his entire career. Nowadays, Ernesto really likes Stephen Curry, who he believes to be the most influential player of the past 15 years or so.

Ernesto's favorite basketball moment was when Venezuela -- his country -- took down Canada to take home the 2015 FIBA Americas Cup.

When not watching or writing about basketball, Ernesto likes to read and is interested in photography.

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.