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Caitlin Clark’s life will never be the same after her rise to fame at Iowa.
The highly regarded point guard, expected to be the number one pick in the upcoming WNBA draft, discussed the changes in her life since gaining fame as a prominent figure in college basketball and a key player in the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) initiative.
“Life’s changed a lot,” the 22-year-old Clark said of the mass attention she’s received in an interview with “Today” on Monday.
Clark recalled being more nervous for her recent surprise “Saturday Night Live” appearance than getting ready for the national championship game against South Carolina, an 87-75 loss on April 7.
“I don’t get nervous for basketball games,” Clark said. “But going in front of a live audience on national television, doing something outside of your comfort zone, is a little scary. My heart was pounding out of my chest.”
The Iowa native’s celebrity is soaring heading into the draft, as Clark made a hilarious surprise cameo on the April 13 episode of “SNL”, in which she roasted Michael Che during the “Weekend Update” segment with Colin Jost.
Clark, who became the leading all-time NCAA Division I basketball scorer — male or female — in March, played a major role in the dominance of this year’s women’s tournament and sold-out crowds throughout Iowa’s season — which added as much as $82.5 million to the state’s economy, according to a report from the Common Sense Institute.
Other NCAA schools also benefitted from the Caitlin Clark effect.
Schools that hosted Clark and the Hawkeyes saw their attendance surge by more than 150% on average, according to The Associated Press.
The women’s championship game on ABC and ESPN took in 18.7 million viewers — more than any basketball game (men’s or women’s and college or professional) since 2019, ESPN reported.
The broadcast peaked at a stunning 24 million viewers.
Clark is unanimously projected to be selected by the Indiana Fever with the first pick of the draft, and the team told ESPN there has been a “spike” in ticket interest.
The Fever have taken the “unprecedented” action of pre-selling single-game tickets instead of two games for a 15-day stretch, per the report.
Clark smiled when she told “Today” that she’s heard season tickets are already “selling pretty well” in Indianapolis, but does not know the exact numbers.
Crowds from all over traveled to see Clark — who is arguably the greatest shooter ever in college basketball — in her final season at Iowa.
Now, she said she is excited to take her talents to the league.
“[The WNBA will] probably be a little bit of a learning curve,” Clark said, but it will be a “good challenge” that she’s ready to face.
“Being confident in all the work I’ve put in, in the moments, and knowing that I’ve earned to be in this moment — that’s always kind of what I remind myself, you know, you’re not here by accident,” she said.
Clark was the only collegiate athlete to be invited to Team USA 14-player training camp roster in Cleveland, which she missed due to playing in the Final Four, to train for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The women’s basketball roster is yet not set and 12 players will travel to the summer games.
Clark said representing the United States would “mean everything” to her.
“That’s one of my dreams as a kid. Growing up, you always want to be an Olympic gold medalist,” she said. “Lucky enough, I’ve been able to play for a few junior national teams in their basketball system, so I know how special it is to represent USA across your chest. Being able to do that on the highest level would certainly be a dream come true.”
The 2024 WNBA Draft kicks off 7:30 p.m. ET in at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Monday.
It is the first time in years that the league has sold tickets for fans to attend and they sold out in less than 15 minutes.
