On 22 January 2025, basketball player Caitlin Clark turned 23. By this age, she had already broken countless records and won many prestigious titles. She is predicted to become a legend in world basketball and forever change society’s view of women’s sports. We tell you about the life and career of this famous athlete.
The beginning
Caitlin Clark was born in 2002 in Des Moines, the capital of Iowa. Her father played basketball and baseball in his youth, and her maternal grandfather was an American football coach. Therefore, from early childhood, Kaitlyn was involved in various sports: tennis, football, softball, golf, and volleyball.
But basketball, which she started playing at the age of five, has always held a special place in her life. Even as a child, Caitlin faced the fact that this sport is much less popular among girls: at first she had to compete with boys, and from the age of 13 — with girls several years older (there was no league suitable for her age).
In high school, Clark continued to play actively and participated in competitions at various levels. In 2019, during one of the games, she scored 60 points — an impressive result even for a professional male player. Every year, the local press and state sports associations awarded her honours, including ‘Miss Basketball Iowa.’
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No. 22 forever
Recruiters took notice of the talented athlete. By the end of school, several university basketball teams had invited her to join their ranks, but Caitlin decided to stay in her home state and attend the University of Iowa.
She did so not only out of love for her small hometown: a key position had opened up on the university team, which Clark hoped to fill. In 2020, Caitlin began her first university season as a point guard.
Over the course of four years, she played successfully for the team and regularly set records for points scored and overall performance. The matches she played in were constantly sold out, and her number of followers on social media grew steadily.
Caitlin ended her university sports career with a record number of points (3,951) and three-pointers (548). She ranked second in triple-doubles (17) and third in assists (1,144) in the history of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I (the most prestigious division).
At the end of her final season, the university administration announced that the number 22 would not be given to another player and would remain Caitlin’s forever. She became the third player in the team’s history to receive this honour.
Professional career
The annual Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft has special rules. The right of first pick (the opportunity to select the best rookie basketball player for the team) belongs to the team that wins the lottery. The draft is organised in such a way that the team with the worst record in the previous season has the best chance of winning. It is believed that this gives less successful teams a chance to move up, while talented new players attract the attention of spectators and the press. Kaitlin was drafted by the Indiana Fever.
The athlete’s first game on 14 May 2024 was a complete disaster.
The team lost to their opponents 92–71. Clark herself had 10 turnovers — more than any other player in a debut game in WNBA history. But in the very next game, the Indiana Fever won. And in July, Kaitlyn became the first WNBA rookie and the first Fever player ever to record a triple-double.
Clark led the Indiana Fever to their best result and first playoff appearance since 2016 and was named the WNBA’s 2024 Rookie of the Year.