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Clark missed out on American collegiate basketball's largest prize, however her play captured the eye of followers all over the place.
Caitlin Clark believes the thrill surrounding her pioneering school basketball profession heralds a vibrant future for the ladies's sport in the US as she prepares to hitch the skilled ranks of the Girls's Nationwide Basketball Affiliation (WNBA). Has been.
The 22-year-old Iowa participant retired from collegiate play on Sunday following a disappointing 87-75 loss to South Carolina within the nationwide championship sport in Cleveland.
Nonetheless, Clarke discovered a silver lining on this defeat as his record-breaking performances this yr helped break attendance and tv scores information and attracted international media consideration.
Clark stated of her legacy, “After I take into consideration girls's basketball transferring ahead, it's clearly going to proceed to develop, whether or not it's on the school stage or the WNBA stage.”
“Everybody seems to be at viewership numbers. If you're given the chance, the ladies's sport thrives and that's been the most effective half for me on this journey.
“We began the season taking part in in entrance of 55,000 individuals, now we're ending it in entrance of 15 million individuals on TV. It simply retains getting higher and higher and it's by no means going to cease.
“If you maintain giving them a platform, issues like this can maintain taking place.”
Clark stated she hoped Iowa's success would encourage leagues and media corporations to spend money on girls's sports activities.
“It doesn’t matter what sport it’s, consider in them equally, spend money on them equally and issues will begin to blossom,” he stated. “You see it with different sports activities. Proceed to speculate time, cash, and sources in these individuals and provides them alternatives; I feel that is what is going to drive the ladies's sport ahead sooner or later.”
Clark stated the truth that Iowa has introduced a brand new era of followers to the sport is one thing she’s going to at all times cherish.
“Individuals will bear in mind the moments they shared at one among our video games or watching on TV, and the way excited their daughter or son was to see girls's basketball,” Clark stated.
“It's a lot enjoyable; these are the issues that imply essentially the most to me.”
Clark, who led the scoring with 30 factors in Sunday's remaining, admitted she anticipated to shed a number of tears after struggling her second consecutive loss within the nationwide title sport.
“For me, feelings will in all probability get the most effective of me over the subsequent few days; “I don't have numerous time to sit down round and sulk,” Clark stated. “And I don't assume I'm even fascinated with it.
“Yeah, I'm unhappy we misplaced this sport, however I'm additionally pleased with my teammates and our program. There’s a lot to be pleased with.
“However there are going to be tears. It's unhappy that it's throughout, and it's the final time I put on an Iowa jersey.”
Clark's accomplishments this season included beating Pete Maravich's 54-year-old school basketball scoring file, a mark that many thought was unbeatable.
She is nearly assured to be the primary decide within the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever later this month and will even make the U.S. crew for the 2024 Paris Olympics.