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Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball star Caitlin Clark burst into the public's consciousness due to her extraordinary scoring feats in the NCAA tournament and being pitted directly against LSU Tigers' Angel Reese.
The two student-athletes pushed each other to the limit when their teams met in the national championship game, which made history by being the most-watched women's basketball game ever with 9.9 million viewers.
So, what else makes Caitlin Clark so popular?
Why is Caitlin Clark so popular?
Caitlin Clark is an extraordinary basketball player and is one of the best scorers at the collegiate level.
She was the leading scorer in both her freshman and sophomore years, leading to her gaining a cult following.
Last season, she averaged 27.8 points, 8.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 7.1 rebounds, which made for one of the best individual seasons in college basketball. She won the Naismith National Player of the Year Award, among other honors.
In the Elite Eight matchup against Lousiville, Clark scored 41.0 points and registered 12.0 assists to become the first player, regardless of gender, to have recorded a triple-double stat line in the history of the tournament.
She followed that up just days later with a 40-point-8.0 assists performance to down the previously unbeaten South Carolina Gamecocks on the way to the final.
Her performances translated into off-court success as well, with a large following on social media.
Caitlin Clark grows in confidence
After smashing her sixth 3-pointer against Louisville in her 40-point triple-double performance, she hit her opponents with the John Cena 'you can't see me' celebration.'
It would later come back to bite her when her Hawkeyes team went down 102-85 in the championship game, and Angel Reese did not waste the opportunity to hit the same celebration.
In a segment with ABC, Clark was praised for being able to dish out some tough love as well as for her ability to take it on the chin when things did not pan out well.
Angel Reese has been deemed to be Clark's arch-rival, but she stood up for the 21-year-old:
“No matter which way it goes, she should never be criticized for what she did," Clark continued. "I’m just one that competes and she competed. I think everybody knew there was going to be a little bit of trash talk in the entire tournament. It’s not just me and Angel, I don’t think she should be criticized.”
“I think the biggest thing is we’re all competitive. We all show our emotions in a different way. Angel’s a tremendous, tremendous player. I have nothing but respect for her. I love her game, the way she rebounds the ball, scores the ball is absolutely incredible. I’m a big fan of her," Clark said.
CBB fans have loved and respected Caitlin Clark and she seems set for higher honors.
