Minneapolis — star of Iowa women’s basketball Kaitlyn ClarkLeading the nation in scoring last season, we know there are fans out there who want to emulate the deep 3-pointer that made her viral and garnered accolades from NBA stars. Stephen Curry When Kevin Durant.
But she has a message for young athletes.
“A lot of people watch Stephen Curry,” Clark said Tuesday at the Big Ten Media Day at the Target Center. not.”
Clarke’s flamboyant ball-handling — she led the nation with 8.0 assists per game, on top of her 27.0 points last season — and overall skill set, as she led Iowa to the NCAA. A tournament that helped secure her first-team AP All-America honors last season.
2nd seed Iowa lost 64-62 to 10th seed Clayton in the second round.
Throughout the season, Clarke’s highlights have caught the attention of WNBA and NBA stars, including Curry and Durant.
Curry liked a photo on Twitter that showed Clark shrugging like Michael Jordan after hitting a big shot at the game.
Durant said in February, “She’s showing some skill now and moving fast.”
Clark said those long-range shots were a byproduct of the time he invested in training, not random development of his game.
“I think it started when I was younger,” she said. “My father was my first basketball coach. He wouldn’t let me shoot three-pointers or shoot far. I was at the gym and had to check my form, great, even when I’m at the gym today, I’m starting close and making sure my form is good.”
Clark, who reportedly amassed seven-figure-plus numbers in his NIL contract before signing with Nike on Monday, will become one of the faces of college basketball alongside the South Carolina star. Aaliyah Boston and Stanford Star hayley jones, also signed a NIL contract with Nike. U constar Paige Bookers Missed the season due to a knee injury.
The spotlight on her and her team has grown this offseason, but Clark said she hasn’t changed her approach. Expanded range. She said she wanted her young fans to understand the process that contributed to her growth.
“I think it’s very important to preach the basics,” Clark said. “Whether it’s form shooting or ball handling, I think it’s such a lost art. I’m shocked at how many people can’t really handle the ball.” [or] Bring the ball to the court these days. It’s a very valuable skill because you never know when you might find yourself in that situation. “
