CLEVELAND — More than 24 hours after Sunday’s NCAA Championship game against South Carolina, Caitlin Clark entered Iowa State’s open practice court at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse at 2:40 p.m.
The arena was packed for Super Saturday practice. A few photographers were waiting for her entrance. Fans in the stands rose to their feet. When she showed up with her teammates. a young girl wearing an Iowa 22 jersey exclaimed.Caitlin!”
This is a meeting of greats, similar to when Clyde Frazier faced the Knicks in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals.
This is that moment for Caitlin Clark.
Last game at Iowa.
Her game 7.
“I don’t want to put pressure on myself by saying, ‘I have to hit X number of points, X number of rebounds,'” Frazier told ESPN. “You just go out there and play your game and evolve and take over in certain situations when you need to. Red Holtzman, who was one of the keys for me when I left the locker room, said, ‘Hey, Clyde. Hit the open man and keep moving the ball,’ he told me. But as the game progressed, I became an open man. ”
Clark will face a South Carolina powerhouse that is 37-0 after eliminating South Carolina in last year’s Final Four semifinals.
This is a legendary game for Clark, who lost to LSU in the 2023 national championship game.
“I think that’s the biggest takeaway,” she said. “That would be at the top of the list and what you’re most proud of. That’s something you can share with your teammates. But at the same time, it’s something that I would like to say to all of the Iowa women’s basketball players that came before us. It’s very much the same thing. …For this university to win a national title at a university that loves women’s basketball and has contributed so much to the game, it’s not just for me, but for my teammates, and for this program and this university. It will be very special for the whole group.”
For the ultimate competitor, the cherry on top would be pretty sweet. Her loss is sad, but she will be remembered for so many other things that it doesn’t define her.
“I’ve been playing basketball for four years at this university, and with two games left, it’s about whether I’m proud of myself and the way I am, the way I am. “It’s impacted people’s lives, and I don’t think that’s a fair assessment,” Clark said.
“I don’t want my legacy to be, ‘Oh, Kaitlyn won X games,’ or ‘Kaitlyn scored X points.’ I hope that’s what I was able to do for the game of women’s basketball. I hope young boys and young girls are inspired to play this sport and dream of doing whatever they want in life. Yes, that’s what we collect. I think the people, the joy we brought to people and the way people perceive women’s basketball as a sport. It’s fun to watch. We all love it. It could be on the highest stage. It could be on the highest stage. I think you can tell by looking at the viewer ratings.
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“To me, when the time is reduced to 40 minutes and you can validate yourself within 40 minutes, I don’t think that’s a fair assessment.”
it’s not.
Still, it will be for some people.
Frazier’s Game 7 line: 36 points, 19 assists, 7 rebounds.
Nostalgic fans will remember Bill Russell’s 30 points and 40 rebounds in Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals, when the Celtics defeated the Lakers in overtime.
LeBron James won his first championship with the Heat in the 2013 Finals against the Spurs, recording 37 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists.
“We have to win a championship,” University of South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “Like I had a great career. But it’s always, ‘Did I win a championship?’ If Kaitlyn wins the championship, she’s pretty good, yeah, she’s a goat. I mean, she’s really great anyway. But if she wins the championship, her contract will be sealed.
“Dear Lord, I hope she doesn’t.”
Clark is more mature and sophisticated than his 22 years, and immune to the onslaught of social media. She cares about what the important people in her life who believed in her are doing.
“I think the biggest thing for me is that when you’re in the spotlight like this, there are a million different opinions about you,” she said. “For as many people as there are people who love you, there are going to be people who hate you. That’s true for every professional athlete, male or female, who plays on the biggest stage.”
She scored 41 points as Iowa defeated the Gamecocks in the Final Four semifinals last year.
“Last year I was so nervous trying to protect who she is,” said Raven Johnson from South Carolina. “But this time I’m not scared.”
This time, Caitlin Clark is the underdog. Gamecocks have size and depth. The Hawkeyes will need another monster game from her.
“Honestly, I don’t really feel like this is the end for me,” Clark said. “I know that’s true, but I don’t think I can go into the game with that mindset. I don’t think I’ll be able to play my best if I do that.”
Practice at Iowa ended at 3:30. Caitlin Clark looked up at the crowd on one side and waved goodbye. Then she looked up at the crowd opposite her and waved her goodbye.
On Sunday, she’ll put on her 22-year-old Iowa jersey and say goodbye forever. eternally.
