It didn’t take long for colleges to start recruiting Caitlin Clark.
Travis Kelce said he heard that Clark’s first recruiting letter came in seventh grade, and Clark confirmed it during a recent appearance on “New Heights.”
The Indiana Fever star said she feels very lucky for the way her parents handled the schools’ first recruiting letters.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark speaks to the media during an introductory press conference on April 17, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
“Honestly, it’s sad, it’s like college recruiting has stopped, it’s crazy. I feel very lucky. My parents just told my older brother, ‘Go get the mail,’ like we don’t want your sister would do it.'” look at that.’ “They wanted me to be in seventh grade and enjoy high school and like hanging out with your friends, like you shouldn’t worry about what college you’re going to,” Clark said.
Clark said he didn’t think much about it at the time, as he was just playing basketball and having fun.
“Seventh grade was crazy, and I was playing for two years, so I was playing with high schoolers, but yeah, I didn’t really like to think about any of that. I just went out and played and had fun. It’s kind of what it is.” comes with it,” Clark said.
The former Iowa star said her parents protected her from possible burnout from playing too much basketball.
HOW CAITLIN CLARK FIGHTS THROUGH THE CULTURE WARS ON THE ROAD TO HISTORIC 2024
Caitlin Clark, number 22 of the Indiana Fever, poses for a portrait at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during her introductory press conference on April 17, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Matt Kryger/NBAE via Getty Images)
“I played AAU, and then I played for my high school team, but my mom was like, ‘She doesn’t play more than three or two games in a day, like that’s crazy,’ because sometimes they wanted me.” play for the seventh grade team and the eighth grade team. So, my parents were very good about it, like they didn’t want me to lose love for it, like you didn’t want to get burned, still. You want to have fun when you do it as a professional if you’re lucky enough,” Clark said.
“And, maybe, as a kid, I was like, ‘Mom, no, I can keep going, I can keep playing,’ but looking back, I’m very lucky for that, because I haven’t lost that.” Fun and passion for it and always wanting to get better and sometimes that’s why people burn out. It’s because they did it too much when they were kids and their parents forced it on them or whoever forced it on them too much. That was never something I really had to deal with, so I feel very lucky.”
Clark said he was in no rush to decide where he would go to college.
CAITLIN CLARK’S REJECTION OF WHITE PRIVILEGE COMMENTS SHOWS THERE ARE ‘PROBLEMS WITH RACE’ IN US, SAYS WNBA GREAT
Iowa players, including guard Caitlin Clark, #22, forward Hannah Stuelke, #45, and guard Kate Martin, #20, celebrate after an NCAA Tournament Elite 8 basketball game against Louisville on Sunday the 26th March 2023 in Seattle. (AP Photo/Caean Couto)
“I didn’t really make any visits until after my freshman year of (high school), and then I didn’t decide until my senior year. So I was never in a rush and my parents did a really good job of making sure I have a very good circle around me, like it’s not always about college recruiting. “I didn’t like to post my offers, and that didn’t exist when I was a kid,” Clark said.
Clark ended up choosing Iowa, saying he wanted to stay in the Midwest, and had one of the most successful college careers of all time.
She is the all-time NCAA Division I scoring leader and was named AP Player of the Year twice, among many other accolades.
Iowa has already retired his No. 22 jersey number.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark smiles as she looks toward the team bench after making a pass to the basket that led to a score in the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Dallas Wings on Sunday September 2024 in Arlington, Texas. . (AP Photo/Tony Gutiérrez)
Following her success at Iowa, she was selected with the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Fever.
Clark was named WNBA Rookie of the Year, was selected to the All-Star team, led the WNBA in assists and helped lead the Fever to the playoffs in her rookie season.
Clark was also named Time Magazine’s 2024 Athlete of the Year.
