Women's Fastbreak On SI

Fans Roast Take Questioning Caitlin Clark, A'ja Wilson NCAA Jersey Retirement Timing

Caitlin Clark and A'ja Wilson having their college jerseys retired on the same day has caused a stir within their respective fanbases.

Grant Young

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) takes questions after the NCAA Tournament championship basketball game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Sunday, April 7, 2024 in Cleveland.
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) takes questions after the NCAA Tournament championship basketball game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Sunday, April 7, 2024 in Cleveland. / Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

Initially, the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team's announcement that they'd be retiring the No. 22 jersey of global superstar Caitlin Clark on February 2, 2025 (meaning 2/2) was received with nothing but excitement.

This news caused fans (who had been awaiting this date announcement for months) to flock to secure themselves a place in Carver-Hawkeye Arena that night, which has driven ticket prices for this February 2 game up to record-high levels.

However, the social media discussion regarding Clark's jersey retirement took an interesting turn when X user @Destiny32440233 replied to Iowa's video announcing Clark's jersey retirement by writing, "Why the f*** would yall retire her jersey on the same day as A’ja are yall stupid".

This brought to Clark fans' attention that 2024 WNBA MVP and South Carolina Gamecocks legend A'ja Wilson — who is also well-known for being No. 22 — is having her Gamecocks jersey retired on February 2, as well.

Aside from this strongly worded post being informative, Iowa and Clark's fans are coming at this X user for their sentiment.

"Why would Iowa or their fans care. It was announced in April that Caitlin's jersey would be retired. Most Iowa fans had already pinpointed the USC game as the game it would happen. They should've retired A'ja's Jersey the same day the revealed the statue," one fan wrote in response.

Another added, "tell a’ja to move her date then. the face of the wnba is retiring hers. show some respect 😂😂".

"Why did SC take a whole DECADE to retire A'ja's number?

"How is that Iowa's fault?

"You think they know when A'ja is getting her jersey retired? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣" a third noted.

While this shared jersey retirement date has divided some within Clark and Wilson's respective fanbases, the bottom line is that February 2 will be a great day for the sport.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

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.

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