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Crazy is the new normal for Caitlin Clark and the Iowa women’s basketball team
Every word and gesture scrutinized, a $5 million offer to play 10 games against men -- every day is bringing greater attention on Clark as Iowa proceeds in NCAA tourney
Mar. 29, 2024 2:00 pm, Updated: Mar. 29, 2024 2:23 pm
ALBANY, N.Y. — On Thursday’s 6 p.m. local newscasts in Albany, reporters at Albany International Airport breathlessly told viewers that the jet carrying the Iowa women’s basketball team was getting closer and closer.
At Friday’s Notre Dame-Oregon State Sweet 16 game here at MVP Arena a woman wearing a Fighting Irish shirt apparently couldn’t persuade the girl accompanying her to wear Notre Dame gear. The child instead sported a Caitlin Clark Iowa shirt.
A local reporter told Clark Friday that he was at a recent practice of an Albany AAU team of middle school girls, “and almost all of them were wearing Iowa-22 Caitlin Clark shirts or jerseys.”
Those are the good things. Roses have thorns. Video caught Clark swearing during the Hawkeyes’ second-round NCAA tourney win over West Virginia Monday night, and a lot of people got bent out of shape about it. Oh no!
Two days before, Brent Clark went viral for saying “Stop” from the stands, presumably to his daughter about her complaining to game officials while Iowa was beating Holy Cross in a first-round NCAA game.
“My dad is my biggest supporter,” Caitlin Clark said here Thursday. “He's literally my best friend.
“People probably think my dad is super-competitive because I am, but he's never been that way. He's like a chill, constant person in my life that I can always rely on.”
Wednesday, TMZ scooped the world by reporting Ice Cube had offered Caitlin Clark $5 million to play in the Big3 basketball league he founded in 2017, and Mr. Cube confirmed it. His league has been male-only, with most of the players NBA retirees including former Iowa star Reggie Evans.
That $5 million would be for a maximum of 10 games, and wouldn’t clash with Clark’s WNBA schedule if she joins that league as expected.
Nice money if you can get it. Though it seems unlikely Clark’s brand-builder, Excel Sports Management, would recommend she join a circus. Excel didn’t elevate client Taylor Swift’s career by booking her at county fairs and bingo halls.
It was one more distraction at a time the Hawkeyes are trying to earn their second-straight Final Four appearance. Typically, Clark shrugged it off when asked about it Friday.
“Yeah, to be honest, I found about the Big3 thing at the exact time you all did,” Clark said, “and my main focus is just on playing basketball.
“I honestly don't talk about those things with really anybody. I have other people that deal with it, and they haven't said a word to me about it.”
Other recent publicity was more distinguished, basketball-speaking. Thursday, Clark was named one of 14 invitees to the U.S. senior team camp in Cleveland April 3-5.
In a somewhat-cruel twist of fate, she wouldn’t be able to attend should the Hawkeyes reach the Final Four, which is in Cleveland April 5-7.
Clark could miss that camp and still be selected as a 2024 Olympian, either on the women’s 5-on-5 or 3-on-3 teams. Nine former Olympians and the last two WNBA No. 1 draft picks are among the 14 players invited to the Cleveland camp.
Twelve players eventually will be named to the team that plays in at the Paris Games from July 28-Aug. 11.
“USA Basketball — that's your dream,” Clark said. “You always want to grow up and be on the Olympic team, but lucky for me, I have the opportunity of possibly not doing that because I want to be at the Final Four playing basketball with my team.
“But more than anything, my focus is on winning these two games, and that's exactly how it should be.”
Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder flicked aside a question about the Big3, saying “She did tell me about the invitation that she was getting for USA Basketball, but she hopes that she's not there. We all hope she's not there next weekend.
“The other stuff, that's just — it's crazy.”
Crazy is the new normal for these Hawkeyes. Clark is basketball’s pied piper in 2024.
“I think it's kind of been the same story for me over the course of the two years,“ Clark said. ”I know eyeballs are always on me.“
Saturday, the reason millions of eyeballs will watch her is a Sweet 16 game. Colorado’s players don’t care how many schoolgirls are wearing Clark garb.
Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com
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