Portrait · John Mac; existing Wikimedia Commons crop / CC BY-SA 4.0

Caitlin Clark

Professional basketball player

Born 2002

Caitlin Clark is an American basketball guard for the Indiana Fever. She was born in Des Moines, grew up in West Des Moines and attended Dowling Catholic High School. Her early basketball opportunities included a boys’ team because suitable girls’ leagues were scarce. Colleges noticed her before high school, but her parents initially handled recruiting contact. As the decision narrowed to Iowa, Iowa State and Notre Dame, an Iowa practice visit helped: she talked with injured guard Kathleen Doyle about the experience of playing there. Clark committed to Iowa on November 12, 2019, drawn to Lisa Bluder’s point-guard development and the team’s fast offense. Representing her home state also mattered to her. Basketball developed alongside competitive soccer. Former teammates and coaches recalled her intensity on the youth soccer field, and she led Dowling’s soccer team in scoring before focusing on basketball. At Iowa, her marketing studies accompanied a college career built around long-range scoring and playmaking. Lisa Bluder’s teams reached consecutive national championship games, while Clark earned national player-of-the-year recognition in her junior and senior seasons. At Iowa, learning to lead involved more than scoring. Coaches showed Clark video of her frustrated reactions to mistakes, helping her improve her body language. She considered a fifth college year before deciding during her senior season to enter the professional draft. Her college records require precise labels: she passed Kelsey Plum’s NCAA women’s scoring mark in February 2024, then Pete Maravich’s NCAA Division I overall mark that March. Indiana selected her first in the 2024 WNBA draft. Her rookie year brought Rookie of the Year, All-WNBA First Team recognition and the league’s season assists record. Injury limited her 2025 season, but the Fever’s September 2026 report documented a return to sustained production and Associated Press comeback honours. That same month she helped the United States win the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. Indiana’s season ended in a first-round playoff loss to Las Vegas on October 1. Her public work extends to a foundation organised around education, nutrition and sport, and screen work including an executive producer credit on Full Court Press and an appearance in David Letterman’s interview series. Dated interviews describe home-cooked comfort food, strength work during her first professional offseason and music for warming up.

Verified identityCore facts checked against named sources.

Keep exploring

Connected people

ConnectionLisa BluderIowa coach; shared leadership passages from Sacred Hoops.

ConnectionAliyah BostonFever teammate and fellow member of the 2026 USA gold-medal team.

ConnectionKelsey MitchellFever teammate; also selected for the 2026 AP First Team.

Official records · wins and honours

Awards & Honours

Selected recognition linked to the awarding organisation or primary record.

2026
Associated PressCompetitive win
All-WNBA First Team
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2026
Associated PressCompetitive win
Comeback Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
Wooden AwardCompetitive win
National Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
Naismith AwardsCompetitive win
Women’s College Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
Wade TrophyCompetitive win
Winner
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
Associated PressCompetitive win
College Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
Sullivan AwardCompetitive win
Winner
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
Big TenCompetitive win
Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
Nancy Lieberman AwardCompetitive win
Winner
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
WNBACompetitive win
Rookie of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
WNBACompetitive win
All-Rookie Team
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
WNBACompetitive win
All-WNBA First Team
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2024
Associated PressCompetitive win
Female Athlete of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2023
Wooden AwardCompetitive win
National Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2023
Naismith AwardsCompetitive win
Women’s College Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2023
Wade TrophyCompetitive win
Winner
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2023
Associated PressCompetitive win
College Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2023
Sullivan AwardCompetitive win
Winner
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2023
Big TenCompetitive win
Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2023
Nancy Lieberman AwardCompetitive win
Winner
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2022
Big TenCompetitive win
Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2022
Nancy Lieberman AwardCompetitive win
Winner
Caitlin Clark
Official record
2021
FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World CupCompetitive win
Most Valuable Player
Caitlin Clark
Official record

All-WNBA First Team

Comeback Player of the Year

National Player of the Year

Women’s College Player of the Year

Winner

College Player of the Year

Winner

Player of the Year

Winner

Rookie of the Year

All-Rookie Team

All-WNBA First Team

Female Athlete of the Year

National Player of the Year

Women’s College Player of the Year

Winner

College Player of the Year

Winner

Player of the Year

Winner

Player of the Year

Winner

Most Valuable Player