South Carolina Gamecocks’ Dawn Staley Gets Real on Massive Caitlin Clark Impact on Women’s Basketball: ‘Elevated our game’

In the interview, Staley also said that she’s hoping that Clark will do in the WNBA what she did in the collegiate ranks.

Thanks Let me just tell you, there’s not a whole lot of generational talents like Caitlin Clark that come along, and they captivate a different audience, but they also keep the same audience and elevate. Clark gave our team an opportunity to play in front of over 18 million people. So they tune in to watch her, but at the same time, just like as we recruit, when you go see that number one recruit, there are going to be 10 to 12 other young people that are going to be playing in that game. So if you can elevate your game and showcase your talent, you will be in a position to be seen. I thought and still think that Clark almost single-handedly has elevated our game. And I hope that, and I said this yesterday, that as she moves on to the WNBA, she elevates the WNBA. I know she has ticket sales, are out the roof with the Indiana fever, the away games that go see Caitlin Clark play out the roof, and they’re not at regular season prices. They are at Caitlin Clark’s elevated prices. So she goes up and goes to sport.

In the championship game, the South Carolina Gamecocks solved the Clark-led Hawkeyes, in large part with their rebounding and defense. The Hawkeyes shot just 39.7 percent from the field and Clark was limited to only 10/28 shooting. She still came away with 30 points, but the Gamecocks dictated the pace for most of the contest before scoring an 87-75 victory. Chloe Kitts and Kamilla Cardoso combined for 26 point and 27 rebounds in the Gamecocks win.

The basketball world has not seen the last of Clark. As Staley mentioned, the WNBA is waiting for Clark, who is widely expected to go No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, with the Indiana Fever holding the top pick overall after finishing the 2024 WNBA season with just a 13-27 record.