Caitlin Clark has a decision to make about her future. She can choose to return to Iowa for a fifth and final season of college basketball or enter the WNBA Draft and begin her pro career in Indianapolis.
The Fever won the lottery earlier this week. They will pick first overall for the second year in a row after drafting the eventual WNBA Rookie of the Year, Aliyah Boston, out of South Carolina.
It would make a lot of sense for Clark to play alongside such a talented big. All of the signs currently toward the professional route.
However, there is still a long way to go!
Hawkeyes head coach Lisa Bluder is going to present her case for a potential return. Anything short of a national championship may also encourage Iowa’s superstar guard to run it back in search of a title while getting one final opportunity to play in front of a massive crowd in her hometown.
Especially in the lucrative NIL era.
Ultimately, only Caitlin Clark can make this decision! To do so, she is trusting her gut.
Clark spoke with ESPN about her future back in October prior to the start of the 2023/24 season. She laid out a generic timeline and discussed her approach to the process.
Clark must decide by April 5. There is no rush.
I’m going to know when I need to know. I think it’s very similar to my college decision. It’s like I’m in the recruiting process again.
— Caitlin Clark
Her focus right now is on a ring. Clark is only concerned with the Hawkeyes and winning.
It’s really not something I think about every day or let weigh on me. I’m focused on helping this team be the best they can be.
— Caitlin Clark
She will come to the decision that is best for her and only her. It will not be a rash decision.
The biggest thing is I’m just going to trust my gut. I’m not going to do a lot of research on what’s better. I’m going to trust my gut and go with that.
— Caitlin Clark
Clark does not expect this process to be easy. But in the end, she knows that her heart will make the decision for her, just as it did back in high school.
In recruiting, I knew there were a lot of good options, but in my heart I wanted to be here. I think it’s going to be the same when I make the decision to stay here or leave.
— Caitlin Clark
There are a lot of pros and cons to both a return to Iowa and to an immediate future in Indianapolis. Clark is going to take as long as she needs to weigh her options. A decision will come when it comes!