Caitlin Clark announces decision to enter 2024 WNBA Draft
Clark surpassed Lynette Woodard in scoring on Wednesday
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark on Thursday announced she will enter the 2024 WNBA Draft when her collegiate basketball career comes to an end.
Clark is one of the most prolific women’s basketball players of all time. She recently set the all-time scoring mark in NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball and is eyeing Pete Maravich’s record as the all-time leading NCAA Division I scorer. She set the major women’s collegiate scoring record on Wednesday night against Minnesota.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Iowa guard Caitlin Clark sits on the bench after breaking the women's NCAA all-time scoring record during the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, on Feb. 15. (Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
She now has 3,650 career points with one more game in the regular season left to go, along with the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
While Clark maintained she still has business to take care of, she said she was "excited" to be entering the draft.
"It is impossible to fully express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me during my time at Iowa — my teammates, who made the last four years the best; my coaches, trainers and staff who always let me be me; Hawkeye fans who filled Carver every night; and everyone who came out to support us across the country, especially the young kids," Clark said in a statement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks on during the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois, on Jan. 31. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
"Most importantly, none of this would have been possible without my family and friends who have been by my side through it all. Because of all of you, my dreams came true."
Iowa was on the cusp of winning a national championship last season but ran into LSU.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was up in the air whether Clark would immediately turn pro or opt-in for an extra year of eligibility due to the 2020 coronavirus and the potential to earn a great deal of money through name, image and likeness.
But she squashed any notion of that with her announcement.
Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes listens as the crowd cheers after she broke the NCAA women's all-time scoring record during the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, on Feb. 15. (Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CNo. 6 Iowa will host No. 2 Ohio State on Sunday on Senior Day. The Big Ten Tournament is set to begin Wednesday, with the Women’s Basketball Tournament to follow that.
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