Caitlin Clark Describes 'Weird Feeling' Before Iowa Jersey Retirement
February 2, 2025, marks a massive day in the world of women's college basketball, as both 2024 WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark are having their No. 22 jerseys retired by their respective schools.
While Wilson's jersey retirement ceremony occurred before the South Carolina Gamecocks' game against Auburn, Clark's jersey retirement is taking place after the Iowa Hawkeyes take on JuJu Watkins and the USC Trojans.
When speaking with CBS Sports' David Eickholt in a recent interview, Clark said of her jersey retirement, "I think it's probably hard to really feel all the emotions until I'm going to be inside Carver, and really see it, and experience it with my family.
"I'm not usually a very emotional person, but I feel like this will probably make me a little more emotional," she added.
Now Clark is back at her former home court and speaking with the media before Iowa's game. At one point, she got honest about how her feelings while returning to her former stomping ground.
"Well, it has been fun looking back on this whole past year and on everything that has been able to happen," Clark said, per an X post from Dallas Jones. "I think reflecting back on my entire career... just how much things changed, not only for our program but how much things changed for women's basketball in my time here. Just very grateful and fortunate.
"Kind of a weird feeling coming back here and not being able to play," Clark continued with a smile. "But it's just a really exciting time still for this program, and I'm really fortunate to be a part of it, and feel very lucky that a lot of my former teammates and former coaches and here are able to support me... so just really lucky."
Caitlin Clark reflecting on her time at Iowa now that she’s moved on to the next level: pic.twitter.com/9G29eOA3hL
— Dallas Jones (@DallasJonesy) February 2, 2025
Sunday will surely be emotional for not only Clark, but for everybody present in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.