After reaching new heights and making a lasting impression on women’s basketball history, Caitlin Clark was named the AP Female Athlete of the Year.
Millions of people watched her journey, which included leading Iowa to the national championship game, winning Rookie of the Year, and being selected as the WNBA’s top draft pick.
Clark’s incredible ascent has brought attention to other women’s sports in addition to basketball. With 35 votes, Clark dominated the prestigious prize, which was voted upon by 74 sports journalists from The Associated Press and its affiliates. Olympic hero Simone Biles and boxing sensation Imane Khelif trailed behind her.
Clark is honoured as the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since 1931, joining basketball legends Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo, and Candace Parker.
Clark revealed: “Being recognized in this manner is really unique, and I’m grateful. I grew up being a fan of Candace Parker and the women that came before me. Women’s basketball and other women’s sports had an excellent year.
A day earlier, Shohei Ohtani had won his third AP Male Athlete of the Year award in men’s sports.
Despite her incredible success and the attention she has given to women’s basketball, Clark frequently finds herself at the heart of internet arguments and hate speech aimed at her and other league players.
Clark, meanwhile, has openly condemned this divisive conversation. The 22-year-old’s handling of the attention and pressure has also drawn praise from Rebecca Lobo.
She has, in my opinion, handled it nearly perfectly. At a moment when you’re being watched closely, she hasn’t made any significant mistakes or missed any highlights,” Lobo remarked. She has appeared to talk and act appropriately. At a time when it is constantly being watched and scrutinized, that is simply amazing. Her pleasant demeanour has not been damaged by whatever she has done.
It was challenging for Clark to completely recognize what she was accomplishing during the previous year while she endured the recognition — and the criticism — in the midst of competition.
However, after taking some time to consider the hectic voyage, she is grateful to those who were with her for
the journey.
“I’m thankful for the people I got to do it with,” Clark said in appreciation. I was still in the early stages of my senior year of college a year ago. I can now appreciate what a fantastic college season it was, and how quickly things change.”
She turned into one of Iowa’s biggest draws, selling out both home and road games. Her No. 22 jersey, which was worn everywhere during her rookie season and will soon be honoured at Iowa, is proof that her popularity continued throughout her professional career.
“You’d be remiss not to acknowledge how crazy her fan base is and the eyes she gets with everything she does,” said Tyrese Haliburton, a guard for the Indiana Pacers who frequently attends Clark’s Indiana Fever games. She is among the most well-known athletes in the world, so it’s a different kind of fame. Women’s sports are no longer the only ones.
He continued: “It’s really cool to see and she just handles it with such grace.”
Clark frequently spends time signing autographs with fans before and after games because he enjoys engaging with them.
“For me it’s still really fun,” she responded. “Even a brief period of time—15, 10, or 5 seconds—can have a significant impact on the lives of young girls and boys. I never take it for granted when I see the crowd going crazy an hour before tipoff. That’s really awesome, and I hope it never goes away.
FILE: During the second half of a WNBA game, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, 22, drives while Seattle Storm guard Nika Muhl defends.
Nika Muhl, a guard for the Seattle Storm, defends while Caitlin Clark, 22, drives. (Photo: AP)
With her record-breaking efforts, WNBA player Clark has been making waves. She has set a new single-game assist record of 19 and accumulated an incredible 337 assists this season. She became the fastest player to make 100 three-pointers in just 34 games because to her long-range shooting ability, which helped Indiana qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Lobo, a basketball legend who saw the WNBA’s inception and helped UConn win its first national championship, commended Clark’s influence: “She’s brought unprecedented attention both in the building, but also viewership to the sport that was worthy of it but didn’t have it yet,” said Lobo. “This is unlike anything that has ever existed.
“The 1995–1997 period was a little stride in the overall development of it. This is a huge advancement. This is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. More attention is being paid to sports than ever before.
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