$809,000 NIL-valued Caitlin Clark wishes former Iowa guard Monica Czinano a Happy Birthday with trip down memory lane: "Miss you sm"

Iowa Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark is on the verge of breaking the all-time women's college basketball scoring record. The $809,000 NIL-valued Clark wished Monica Czinano, her former Iowa teammate, a happy birthday on her Instagram page with the caption:

"Happy birthday MONII!!! Miss you sm. Love you always."

Monika was waived by the L.A Sparks in May last year after getting picked No. 23 overall in the 2023 WNBA draft after the Hawkeyes' run to the national championship game.

At the time, after the news was announced, Caitlin Clark stood up for her former teammate in the championship's postgame news conference.

"Monika is one of the most fun people to be around," Clark said. "She's goofy, and she deserved a little better than that. Monika would tell you when she first got here, she never dreamed to be as good as she is, and I still don't think she realizes how good she is, and other people don't realize it either. She doesn't get the credit she deserves."

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Caitlin Clark recently gifted her teammates exclusive Nike Kyler Murray shoes, showcasing her popularity amongst her current and former teammates.

During an interview with NBC Sports, Calrk highlighted the leadership role that she has taken on this season as a college basketball veteran:

“Being able to use my voice and be somebody those inexperienced players can rely on a little more, especially when I’m on the court with them,” Clark said. “They trust me and look to me to help them out. Building their confidence up, if they miss a shot, going up to them and saying ‘You’re shooting the next one.’”

The unmatched popularity of Caitlin Clark

According to Vivid Seats, the price of Iowa tickets has increased by 162% since last season and 207% since the marketable Caitlin Clark joined the program back in 2020.

During an interview with Mercury News, former Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu was full of praise for the record-breaking Clark as well, highlighting the Clark effect:

“She came to Oregon on a visit so I was able to get to know her and her dad,” Ionescu said. “Everyone’s watching her, and she’s selling out every arena she goes into, and she continues to set the bar higher and higher for college sports. She’s going to take that into the pro level too.”

Her popularity is only bound to increase once she breaks the all-time points scoring record to truly usher in the age of Caitlin Clark. We are just a day away from her 22nd birthday, so stay tuned for the updates as we shall bring you news on her celebrations.

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