After the Iowa Hawkeyes’ dominant victory on Saturday, Caitlin Clark talked candidly about her relationship with stardom, giving a refreshing take on how she stays grounded throughout the highs and lows of the sport.
Clark, who tied her season-high with 30 points and 11 assists in an 84–57 rout of the Indiana Hoosiers, spoke about how she’s been able to block out the noise at this stage of her career.
The reigning AP Player of the Year told reporters in a postgame press conference that the opinions of her teammates and coaches are ultimately what matter most to her at the end of the day.
“I think I just worry about being in this moment, enjoying this moment,” Clark said on Saturday. “The people that I really care about, the people that I really love—they always have my back, even when I take off my basketball shoes, take off my uniform and I’m done playing one day. Those are the people that are really going to matter to me.”
Caitlin Clark on dealing with the love/hate that comes with stardom: “That’s not something I worry about. I think I just worry about being in this moment, enjoying this moment. The people that I really care about, the people that I really love — they always have my back, even… pic.twitter.com/t72eJU6Vch
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) January 14, 2024
Clark continued, “But yeah, that’s what kinda comes with it when you have the stardom. I think something that I try to live by is like all the love that you feel, the praise, that’s the level you’re gonna feel all the hate, too. So you got to stay right in the middle.”
No. 3 Iowa defeated No. 14 Indiana this weekend in a Big Ten prime-time showdown that put the Hawkeyes (17–1, 6–0 Big Ten) at the top of the conference standings. Clark is averaging 30.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.9 assists this season.
It’s hard to imagine exactly what kind of criticism is being directed at Clark, who remains at the pinnacle of women’s college basketball in her senior year at Iowa. No stranger to fame, Clark appears mentally prepared and locked in to keep delivering show-stopping moments like these.
