According to Victor Wembanyama, the only college basketball player that has ever left him “in awe” of their skill is Caitlin Clark.
A year before the Indiana Fever selected Clark with the first choice in the 2024 WNBA draft, the French sensation was chosen first overall in the 2023 NBA draft.
It happened after Clark had an amazing career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, making her a household name in the sports world.
The 7-foot-4-inch standout Wembanyama praised Clark, who was just voted Rookie of the Year, in remarks made before of the start of the current NBA season.
In response to the question, “Who among the WNBA players inspires you?” the San Antonio Spurs center named Kaitlin Clark.
Wembanyama said, “She was the only college player that I was truly in awe of the game when she was in college.”
“I’m saying she’s probably the most impressive college basketball player I’ve ever seen, men and women alike.”
Clark won back-to-back national player of the year honors and set a new NCAA scoring record during her four years at Iowa.
After defeating Angel Reese in the race for the title, she finally held the WNBA Rookie of the Year trophy on Friday.
After an incredible first season, the Indiana Fever phenom won with an astounding 66 votes out of 67; but, one anonymous writer caused controversy by voting for Chicago Sky forward Reese instead.
This is true even if Clark led Indiana to its first playoffs spot since 2016 while the former LSU standout was unable to advance with Chicago to the postseason.
After Clark—currently the subject of another intense racial controversy—was crowned Rookie of the Year following her record-breaking rookie year, the WNBA’s worst-kept secret was finally revealed on Thursday.
A day later, she posed with the trophy in a picture posted by the Fever, who were defeated by the Connecticut Sun last week in the first round of the playoffs.
Clark found out she was going to win Rookie of the Year at a Fever practice prior to the team’s playoff opener in Connecticut last week, though the news wasn’t made public until Thursday.
