Caitlin Clark (born January 22, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA, and one of the most consequential players in the sport’s recent history. A point guard with unlimited shooting range and the court vision of a point-first playmaker, she rewrote the NCAA record books at Iowa before entering the WNBA as the 2024 No. 1 overall pick and immediately reshaping the league’s commercial and cultural landscape.
At Iowa, Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I basketball history (men’s or women’s), passing Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old record in her senior season. She was a two-time AP National Player of the Year, two-time Naismith Player of the Year, and the driving force behind the most-watched women’s basketball games ever televised, including the 2024 national championship game that drew 18.9 million viewers. Her impact on the sport became known as the “Caitlin Clark effect.”
In her rookie WNBA season, Clark won Rookie of the Year almost unanimously (66 of 67 votes), led the league in assists, broke the single-game and single-season assist records, and made All-WNBA First Team, the first rookie to do so since Candace Parker in 2008. Injuries limited her 2025 season to 13 games, but her commercial power and on-court production keep her at the center of the league’s ongoing transformation.
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Quick Facts
| Real Name: | Caitlin Elizabeth Clark |
| Profession: | Professional basketball player |
| Born: | January 22, 2002 |
| Age: | 24 (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace: | West Des Moines, Iowa, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Sport: | Basketball (WNBA) |
| Position: | Point Guard |
| Current Team: | Indiana Fever |
| Jersey Number: | #22 |
| College: | Iowa (2020–2024) |
| Draft: | 2024 WNBA Draft, 1st round, 1st overall, Indiana Fever |
| Shoots: | Right |
| Known For: | NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer; WNBA single-season and single-game assists records; the “Caitlin Clark effect” on women’s basketball viewership and attendance |
| Notable Achievements: | 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year; 2024 All-WNBA First Team; 2× AP National Player of the Year (2023, 2024); 2× Naismith Player of the Year (2023, 2024); 2024 Time Athlete of the Year; 2024 AP Female Athlete of the Year |
| Awards: | 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, 2024 AST Champion, 2× All-Star, 2× ESPY winner |
| Zodiac Sign: | Aquarius |
| Relationship: | In a relationship with Connor McCaffery |
| Years Active (Pro): | 2024 to present |
Featured Video
Video courtesy of the WNBA’s official YouTube channel.
Early Life & Education
Caitlin Clark was born and raised in West Des Moines, Iowa, the middle child of Anne and Brent Clark. She came up in a sports-obsessed family and a sports-obsessed state (basketball, volleyball, soccer, the full youth-sports circuit), and by the time she reached Dowling Catholic High School, it was clear the game she was going to reshape was basketball. She was a McDonald’s All-American, ranked the No. 4 player in her recruiting class by ESPN, and walked off the high-school court as one of the most coveted recruits in the country.
The obvious path for a player of her talent was a blueblood program: UConn, Notre Dame, South Carolina. Clark went home instead. She committed to Iowa in November 2019, choosing to play for Lisa Bluder and stay in the state that raised her. That decision, which felt sentimental at the time, turned out to be strategic. Iowa gave her the ball, the green light, and the offensive system to show the country what a 6-foot point guard with deep-range shooting and elite court vision could do when nobody was asking her to share the spotlight.
Career Highlights and Milestones
Clark’s arrival at Iowa in fall 2020 coincided with a COVID-shortened season played in empty arenas, which delayed her national visibility but not her production. She led the nation in scoring as a freshman, averaging 26.6 points per game, and shared Freshman of the Year honors with UConn’s Paige Bueckers. By her sophomore year she was already rewriting Iowa’s record book. Her junior season cemented her as a generational player: 191 points and 60 assists in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, back-to-back 40-point games, and a run to the national championship game that made her a household name.
Her senior season became the most consequential individual college basketball season in modern memory. She broke Kelsey Plum’s women’s Division I scoring record, then broke Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old overall NCAA Division I scoring record, then broke Stephen Curry’s single-season three-pointer record. Iowa sold out home games and every road arena, the “Caitlin Cam” became a broadcast staple, and she finished her college career as the first Division I player (men’s or women’s) with 3,700+ points, 1,000+ assists, and 850+ rebounds. Her final three college games remain the three most-watched women’s basketball games in television history.
Selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in April 2024, Clark became the face of the WNBA on day one. Her rookie season produced a league-leading 8.4 assists per game, 122 made three-pointers (second-most in a single season), and the Fever’s first playoff appearance since 2016. She won Rookie of the Year with 66 of 67 votes, made All-WNBA First Team, was named Time Athlete of the Year, and drove every major WNBA television viewership record to new highs. A second season marked by a quadriceps strain, groin injury, and ankle problem limited her to 13 games in 2025, but she still averaged 16.5 points and 8.8 assists, and the Fever, missing their franchise player for most of the year, made the WNBA semifinals. She enters the 2026 season healthy.
Selected Career Highlights
- Committed to Iowa, chose home-state program over blueblood recruiters (November 2019)
- Led NCAA Division I in scoring as a freshman (26.6 PPG, 2020–21)
- First Division I women’s player to lead nation in points and assists in a single season (2021–22)
- Led Iowa to national championship game (2023), set NCAA Tournament records in points, assists, and three-pointers
- Broke Kelsey Plum’s NCAA women’s all-time scoring record (February 15, 2024)
- Broke Pete Maravich’s all-time NCAA Division I scoring record (March 3, 2024)
- Broke Stephen Curry’s single-season Division I three-pointer record (2024)
- Finished college career as NCAA all-time leading scorer (3,951 points), first player with 3,700+ points / 1,000+ assists / 850+ rebounds
- Selected No. 1 overall in 2024 WNBA Draft by Indiana Fever
- 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year (66 of 67 votes)
- Set WNBA single-game (19) and single-season (337) assists records (2024)
- Led Indiana Fever to first playoff appearance since 2016 (2024)
- Named Time Athlete of the Year (December 2024)
- 2× WNBA All-Star (2024, 2025); All-Star Game captain (2025) with record 1,293,526 fan votes
- ESPY Award for Best WNBA Player (2025)
Major Recognition
- 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, 2024 All-WNBA First Team, 2024 WNBA Assists Champion
- 2× AP National Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
- 2× Naismith College Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
- 2× James E. Sullivan Award (2023, 2024)
- 2× Honda Sports Award for Basketball (2023, 2024)
- 2× Wooden Award (2023, 2024)
- NCAA all-time leading scorer (men’s or women’s Division I)
- 2024 Time Athlete of the Year (first female athlete individually named since Serena Williams in 2015)
- 2024 AP Female Athlete of the Year
- 2025 ESPY Best WNBA Player
- Iowa retired her No. 22 jersey (February 2025)
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Awards and Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Context | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | USBWA | Tamika Catchings Freshman of the Year | Iowa, shared with Paige Bueckers | Won |
| 2023 | Naismith College Player of the Year | National Player of the Year | Iowa junior season | Won |
| 2023 | AP | National Player of the Year | Iowa junior season | Won |
| 2023 | James E. Sullivan Award | Top Amateur Athlete in US | Iowa junior season | Won |
| 2024 | Naismith College Player of the Year | National Player of the Year | Iowa senior season (back-to-back) | Won |
| 2024 | AP | National Player of the Year | Iowa senior season (back-to-back) | Won |
| 2024 | James E. Sullivan Award | Top Amateur Athlete in US | Iowa senior season (back-to-back) | Won |
| 2024 | Wooden Award | National Player of the Year | Iowa senior season (back-to-back) | Won |
| 2024 | WNBA Awards | Rookie of the Year | Indiana Fever, 66 of 67 votes | Won |
| 2024 | All-WNBA | First Team | First rookie selection since Candace Parker (2008) | Won |
| 2024 | WNBA | Assists Champion | 8.4 assists per game | Won |
| 2024 | Time Magazine | Athlete of the Year | Career | Honored |
| 2024 | Associated Press | Female Athlete of the Year | Career | Honored |
| 2025 | ESPY Awards | Best WNBA Player | For 2024 season | Won |
Career Stats & Records
| Season | Team | GP | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | FG% | 3P% | Accolades |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | Iowa | 30 | 34.9 | 26.6 | 5.9 | 7.1 | 1.3 | .436 | .405 | NCAA scoring leader; All-American |
| 2021–22 | Iowa | 32 | 35.8 | 27.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 1.5 | .428 | .333 | Nat’l leader: pts & assists |
| 2022–23 | Iowa | 38 | 34.3 | 27.8 | 7.1 | 8.6 | 1.4 | .470 | .385 | Naismith POY; AP POY; Sullivan |
| 2023–24 | Iowa | 39 | 36.3 | 31.6 | 7.4 | 8.9 | 1.8 | .458 | .378 | NCAA all-time scoring leader |
| 2024 (R) | Indiana Fever | 40 | 35.4 | 19.2 | 5.7 | 8.4* | 1.3 | .417 | .344 | ROY; All-WNBA 1st; AST Champ |
| 2025 | Indiana Fever | 13 | 31.1 | 16.5 | 5.0 | 8.8 | 1.6 | .361 | .278 | All-Star (capt.); ESPY winner |
GP = Games Played; MPG = Minutes Per Game; PPG = Points Per Game; RPG = Rebounds Per Game; APG = Assists Per Game; SPG = Steals Per Game. Asterisk (*) indicates league-leading. (R) = Rookie season.
Team History
| Years | Team | League | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–2024 | Iowa Hawkeyes | NCAA Division I (Big Ten) | Starting Point Guard | 3× Big Ten Tournament Champion; 2× national championship game; NCAA all-time leading scorer; jersey retired 2025. |
| 2024–present | Indiana Fever | WNBA | Starting Point Guard | Selected 1st overall in 2024 WNBA Draft. 2024 Rookie of the Year. Led team to first playoff appearance since 2016. |
Net Worth, Income, & Lifestyle
| Net Worth (2026) | Public estimates vary widely and are largely driven by her endorsement portfolio rather than her WNBA salary. Clark has not disclosed a verified net worth figure. Treat numbers found online as unconfirmed. |
| Income Sources | WNBA rookie scale contract with the Indiana Fever, endorsement deals and sponsorships, signature product lines, media appearances, appearance fees, and the Caitlin Clark Foundation (501(c)(3) charitable work, not a revenue source for Clark personally). |
| Endorsements & Partnerships | Nike (reportedly an 8-year, $28 million deal with signature shoe line, the largest sponsorship ever for a women’s basketball player, per The Wall Street Journal and The Athletic). Wilson Sporting Goods (first signature basketball collection since Michael Jordan; first female athlete ever). Gatorade, State Farm, Gainbridge, Hy-Vee, Stanley (first female athlete in multi-year deal). |
| Properties & Assets | Most personal financial and property details are kept private. Reporting tends to focus on her endorsement portfolio and on-court performance rather than specific assets. |
| Lifestyle | Known for a fiercely competitive on-court style paired with a grounded, Midwest-rooted public identity. Active with the Caitlin Clark Foundation, which supports education, nutrition, and youth sports initiatives. |
Social Media & Online Presence
| Official account: @caitlinclark22 (verified). Approximately 4 million followers. Used for game content, Fever updates, foundation work, and endorsement partnerships. | |
| X (Twitter) | Official account: @CaitlinClark22 (verified). Active during season and major announcements. |
| TikTok | Caitlin Clark does not appear to have an actively managed, verified personal TikTok channel. Official content and updates regarding her are primarily found on team channels, specifically the Indiana Fever (@indianafever) or WNBA (@wnba) accounts. |
| Caitlin Clark does not have an official, verified Facebook page or account. She has previously indicated she is not active on Facebook, making it important to be cautious of imposter accounts. | |
| Official WNBA Profile | WNBA.com player page, official stats, bio, and game logs. |
| Foundation | Caitlin Clark Foundation (501(c)(3) supporting education, nutrition, and youth sports). |
| Business Inquiries | Represented by Excel Sports Management (excelsm.com) for business and endorsement matters. |
Fan communities on social media (unofficial)
NOTE: In addition to any official accounts listed above, many fan-run pages, clip accounts, and statistical tracker accounts exist across all platforms. These are not confirmed to be affiliated with Caitlin Clark. Links and usernames can change at any time.
Trivia & Lesser-Known Facts
- She grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa, and chose Iowa over higher-ranked programs like UConn and Notre Dame specifically to play in her home state.
- At Iowa, games became so in-demand that her regular season finale against Ohio State was the most expensive women’s college basketball game of all time, with an average ticket price of $408.
- The economic impact of her final college season on the state of Iowa was estimated between $14.4 million and $52.3 million in added GDP, per the Common Sense Institute Iowa.
- Her Nike endorsement deal, reportedly worth $28 million over eight years with a signature shoe, is the largest sponsorship ever for a women’s basketball player.
- She is the first athlete since Michael Jordan (and the first female athlete ever) to get a signature basketball collection from Wilson Sporting Goods.
- She holds an economics degree from the University of Iowa, earned while playing her record-breaking senior season.
Quotes
“I never thought in a million years, when I was 18 years old, that I was coming to Iowa to break the all-time scoring record. That was never the plan. I just wanted to come here and win. I wanted to play for my state.”
– Caitlin Clark, postgame press conference after breaking Pete Maravich’s NCAA scoring record, March 3, 2024
“Words cannot express my love for my teammates, coaches, fans and our university, thanks for making my dreams come true. Wearing Iowa across my chest the last four years has been an honor. This place will always be home.”
– Caitlin Clark, on X (formerly Twitter), April 8, 2024, after her final college game
“I want to be a player that really helps elevate this league. That’s what I’m here to do.”
– Caitlin Clark, 2024 WNBA Draft press conference, April 15, 2024
“It’s so cool, also, to be a person that kids look up to. I don’t take that for granted. I try to always remember myself being one of those young girls.”
– Caitlin Clark, Time Athlete of the Year interview, December 2024
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How old is Caitlin Clark?
A: She was born on January 22, 2002. She is 24 years old as of 2026.
Q: What team does Caitlin Clark play for?
A: She plays for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. She was selected by Indiana with the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Q: What records does Caitlin Clark hold?
A: She is the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer (men’s or women’s), holds the Division I single-season three-pointer record, and holds WNBA single-game (19) and single-season (337) assists records.
Q: Where did Caitlin Clark go to college?
A: She played for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 2020 to 2024, leading the program to back-to-back national championship game appearances in 2023 and 2024.
Q: How tall is Caitlin Clark?
A: She is 6 feet 0 inches (183 cm) tall and plays point guard.
Q: What endorsement deals does Caitlin Clark have?
A: Her major partnerships include Nike (reportedly an 8-year, $28 million signature shoe deal), Wilson Sporting Goods (signature basketball collection), Gatorade, State Farm, Gainbridge, Hy-Vee, and Stanley.
Q: What are Caitlin Clark’s official social accounts?
A: Her verified accounts include @caitlinclark22 on Instagram and TikTok, and @CaitlinClark22 on X.
Upcoming Projects / Season Outlook
- 2026 WNBA Season (opens April 25, 2026): Fever open at home against Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty. Clark enters the season healthy after limited availability in 2025 and representing the US in the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament.
- Indiana Fever roster additions: Kelsey Mitchell re-signed to a three-year, $1.4M supermax deal (first $1M+ contract in Fever history); Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull re-signed; Monique Billings and Ty Harris added in free agency. Playoff-contending roster around Clark and Aliyah Boston.
- Continued endorsement campaigns: ongoing Nike signature shoe rollout, Wilson basketball collection expansion, and other brand partnerships.
- 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup (September 2026, Germany): expected US national team roster consideration.
- Caitlin Clark Foundation: ongoing initiatives focused on education, nutrition, and youth sports access.
Interviews & Features
- Time, “Caitlin Clark: Athlete of the Year” (December 2024), the cover story marking her as Time’s 2024 Athlete of the Year, one of the most prestigious sports distinctions of her career.
- ESPN, “What records does Caitlin Clark hold?” (updated 2025), a comprehensive breakdown of her NCAA and WNBA records, updated as milestones fall.
- Wall Street Journal, “Caitlin Clark’s Nike deal” (April 2024), the reporting that broke the record-setting 8-year, $28 million Nike signature shoe deal.
- Indiana Fever, “2025 Player Review: Caitlin Clark” (2025), the team’s season review covering her injury-shortened sophomore year and 16.5/5.0/8.8 averages.
Public Appearances, Games, & Events
- 2024 WNBA Draft (April 15, 2024): Selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in Brooklyn. The draft drew 2.45 million viewers, the most in WNBA draft history.
- WNBA regular season debut (May 14, 2024): Scored 20 points against the Connecticut Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. Most-watched WNBA game since 2002.
- Iowa jersey retirement ceremony (February 2025): The University of Iowa retired her No. 22 jersey at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.
- 2025 WNBA All-Star Game (July 19, 2025): Named All-Star captain in Indianapolis with a record 1,293,526 fan votes.
- 2025 ESPY Awards (July 2025): Won Best WNBA Player in Los Angeles for her 2024 rookie season.
