Caitlin Clark on her expectations in WNBA: I want to be ‘one of the best players in the world’

Caitlin Clark is on her way to the WNBA, where she’ll likely hear her name called first during Monday’s WNBA Draft.

The former Iowa star captivated the basketball world as a whole, and became a transformational player during her time with the Hawkeyes. Now, as she moves to the professional level, Clark took some time while speaking with ESPN’s Holly Rowe to explain her expectations as she enters a new world.

“I mean, I think my expectation is to be one of the best players in the world one day,” Clark said, asked about her expectations for herself at the next level. “To be the best player, one of the best players one day. I think, I wouldn’t expect anything less than that. That’s just kind of, you know, how I go about my business. I think, if I didn’t expect that, people around me would be like, ‘You’re selling yourself short,’ because that’s how much they believe in me. Also, they know how much work I put in.

“I don’t know, I think just enjoy it. This is my job now, but to me, this is fun. How lucky am I that I get to play a sport that I’ve loved since I was five years old, as my job, and do that every single day? And that’s really when I’m at my best, when I’m smiling and having fun, and remembering I do this because I love it. It’s not who I am, it’s just what I do. I think when I remember those things, I’m going to be in good hands.”

That’s a measured way to look at things for Clark. Many are expecting her to immediately become the face of the league, but that’s a lot to ask of someone who will only be a rookie. However, she’s been more than up to any challenge put in her path.

All of her accomplishments and records that Clark set throughout her college career speak for themselves. Her accolades set during the 2023-24 season alone is a list longer than most will have attached to them in a lifetime.

Some of her accolades include The Wooden Award, National Player of the Year by AP, Naismith, USA Today, ESPN, The Athletic, Sporting News, being tabbed as a First Team All-American selection by AP, USBWA and USA Today and also being named the Big Ten Player of the year this season on top of that.

During her senior season in 2023-24, Clark finished the season leading the nation in assists (8.9 assists per game) and in scoring (31.6 points) — the first-ever player to do so in back-to-back seasons in college basketball history. 

Not only that, but Clark became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer earlier this season, passing the record set by ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich — a record that stood for several decades. On top of that, she in also one of six women’s basketball players to record 1,000+ assists in their college career.

With a resume like that, we’re willing to venture that Caitlin Clark will be more than fine in the WNBA, as she looks to take the league by storm in 2024.

On3’s Barkley Truax contributed to this article.