The year 2024 was phenomenal for Caitlin Clark, marking one of the greatest seasons in basketball history for a player under the age of 23. Despite not winning a collective title with the Iowa Hawkeyes or Indiana Fever, Clark led Iowa to the NCAA National Championship game for the second straight year and was instrumental in the Fever’s first playoff appearance since 2016. The Fever also posted their highest win total (20) since their 2015 championship season under Stephanie White, who will return as the team’s head coach next season. It’s safe to say that Clark wasn’t the reason her teams were eliminated, but she was undoubtedly the driving force behind their success – a true game changer.

Clark accepts white privilege by winning award

Individually, 2024 was a historic year for Clark. In March, she became the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer for both men and women. In April, she was selected with the first overall pick in the WNBA’s most-watched draft. She finished the season as Rookie of the Year, receiving 66 of 67 votes, and became the fifth rookie in history to make the All-WNBA First Team. These accolades, the record she broke and her outstanding play earned her recognition as TIME Magazine’s Athlete of the Year and the Associated Press’ Female Athlete of the Year. In her TIME interview following the award, Clark thanked a group of black women who paved the way for her success and acknowledged the influence and legacy of those who came before her.

As a white person, there is privilege. A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing

Caitlin Clark’s maturity and lack of controversy on and off the court make her even more admired. Her responses, such as acknowledging the trailblazers before her while crediting her own hard work, resonate with fans. Juju Watkins, a standout player at USC who is on track to break several of Clark’s records, also addressed the issue of white privilege in an interview with Fox News. Watkins said, “I love the supporters and I love the haters. I think it’s just part of the game. There’s so many sides to it. That’s the nature of the game, and there’s always going to be negative and positive aspects to it.

The reality is that in leagues like the WNBA and NBA, where black athletes are in the majority, certain awards can be controversial when won by someone from a minority group. But that shouldn’t overshadow the work done on the court. Clark’s accomplishments speak for themselves. Her impact transcends statistics, as she’s helped elevate women’s basketball to its highest level of prominence in history, both professionally and collegiately.

Clark’s influence was a major driver behind the WNBA’s record-breaking 2024 season, which set new highs in television ratings, attendance, merchandise sales and more. The hope now is that she stays healthy and continues to build a historic career. For now, we can sit back and let her continue to amaze us, and remember she is only 22.

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