Caitlin Clark’s GOAT status is not dependent on a National title By: Mackenzie Meaney
With Iowa’s thrilling 71-69 win last night over UCONN, the Hawkeyes are back to the national title game for the second consecutive year.
Many people, before and during this season have viewed Iowa’s Caitlin Clark in a league of her own. An elite basketball player who will be remembered for breaking the all-time scoring record, playing with some swagger and pulling in the general population to women’s sports, allowing television viewership records to skyrocket, ticket prices to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and even the Indiana Fever, who own the first draft pick in the WNBA draft this year, to have a 133% increase in their ticket sales.
But all of that means nothing to people, that impact that one woman had on the world of basketball, will mean nothing if she does not beat the 37-0 South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday. Why is GOAT status equated to titles and championships? It isn’t like she’s never won one before. Three Big 10 titles, two FIBA World Cup medals and one gold medal at the FIBA U16 Championships. Every team, Including Iowa, had a one in 68 (.014%) chance to win the tournament. You have better odds to win a Powerball than win a national title. Caitlin Clark’s greatness should not be measured on a metric like that.
The comment that was arguably the most irritating came from New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart, who said Clark needs a Natty to be considered the GOAT. It is easy to point the finger and say that when you went to UCONN and won four straight. Iowa as a basketball program has never been on the same level as UCONN until Clark came around. To take a program, revitalize it, and bring it to national stage like this is more than Stewart ever could dream of in her years at UCONN. You attended school in the basketball capital of the world, you don’t get to equate GOATness to titles because the court is already tilted. The Huskies were already an empire by the time Stewie came around, the Iowa empire could start on Sunday if they win. And if they lose, we will reflect on the greatest college basketball career in the history of the sport.