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ESPN Commentator Breaks Down Caitlin Clark’s Popularity Surge After MVP Return

Originally posted on TheSheGotGame | By Joy Bassy | Last updated Mar 19, 2026 1:04 PM ET

Caitlin Clark’s return to the court only added to her glory as the Fever No. 22 bagged the MVP at the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, and the ESPN analyst Ryan Ruocco knows what she did right to reach such a level of stardom.

Clark played a significant role in Team USA’s 5–0 clean sheet run in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, leading the team in assists as the top playmaker, averaging 6.4 assists per game along with a healthy 11.6 points from the field. While fans went ecstatic after Clark’s feat, Ruocco detailed the two primary factors that make CC22 the star that she is.

During his guest appearance on the March 18 episode of Robin L*******’s show, he opined, “What I always say about Caitlin’s ascent is I say the two foundational things above all else when it comes to why Caitlyn Clark became so popular. One, hitting logo bombs. Like, more than anything else, hitting logo bombs, right? Like that, people were like, I can remember the first time I was told about Caitlyn was Sue Bird.”

Ryan Ruocco really nailed why Caitlin Clark blew up.

The logo bombs and viral Iowa clips -at a school most people weren’t even paying attention to- brought fans in from all over the world.

But CC *consistently* living up to the hype (i.e. MVP after 8mo off) is why people stay. pic.twitter.com/HI0QyWpSEy
— allison (@_girltalk) March 18, 2026

Moving on to the second point, Ruocco said, “And then I think the second most important thing, beyond the logo bombs to her ascent, was her having these extended runs through the tournament. So people heard about her, what she was doing at Iowa. And then she kept delivering on their curiosity, right? Like, oh, I got to watch Iowa.”

Well, the fact that Clark still holds the record for scoring the most three-pointers in NCAA history (548 ) says that her journey to stardom began way before her time in the WNBA. Meanwhile, the Fever star averaged three shots from outside the arc per game with 34.4% shooting in her rookie WNBA season.

The Fever No. 5 has certainly come a long way since those days, as she displayed her mettle in Team USA’s jersey at the FIBA WCQ. Clark also expressed her thoughts recently after her successful national campaign.

Caitlin Clark Was Honored to Represent Team USA

Clark’s big game moments were briefly reflected in an otherwise easy tour for Team USA in Puerto Rico. The new No. 12 edged out fellow debutants Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers for the top spot on the MVP ladder.

Following the tournament, Clark took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message as she marked the end of her first senior stint in the national colours.

“Fun being back out there always an honour @usabasketball,” CC captioned her post alongside a carousel of her favourite photos during the five-game stretch of the tournament. The Fever star naturally received a lot of love from teammates and fans after a long time away from the court.

After the long-awaited completion of the CBA deal between the WNBA and the WNBPA, the league’s schedule is back on track as Clark and the Fever prepare for the upcoming season, set to start on May 9 against Paige Bueckers’ Dallas Wings.

Do you think she will be able to put up a Team USA-level performance in the upcoming WNBA season as well?

This article first appeared on TheSheGotGame and was syndicated with permission.

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