Caitlin Clark likened to Billie Jean King in sensational comparison by ex-Iowa coach
Clark broke records in the NCAA
Lapresse
Caitlin Clark has blazed a trail through women’s basketball. As the starting point guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes, Clark continued the momentum from a stellar high school career and led the unheralded Hawkeyes to consecutive national championship game appearances in 2023 and 2024 — all while setting the NCAA record for points scored by a college basketball player, male or female.
Clark parlayed her college stardom into a strong rookie season for the WNBA‘s Indiana Fever. Clark was named WNBA Rookie of the Year and led the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Her trajectory is clearly that of a star — and according to a former coach at Iowa, Clark’s impact off the court has been nothing short of revolutionary.
Lisa Bluder: Caitlin’s light shines on all of us
Former Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Lisa Bluder worked with Clark for the entirety of Clark’s NCAA stint. In a recent interview with USA Today, Bluder put it all on the line and compared Clark favorably to former tennis star and revered feminist icon Billie Jean King.
“It’s silly to me that anybody’s trying to take away from something that’s so good in your sport right now,” Bluder said. “I mean, this is a person that’s really helped athletics, helped women’s sports in a way that nobody has helped women’s sports maybe since Billie Jean King.”
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King, of course, gained worldwide fame after defeating Bobby Riggs in 1973 — a tennis match better known as “The Battle of the Sexes“. King, now 81 years old, has since been portrayed in a number of shows and films; Emma Stone portrayed her in the 2017 biopic “Battle of the Sexes“. Bluder clearly believes the same fate is in Clark’s future, especially if she leads the Fever to WNBA championships in the years ahead.
“Let’s get on the bandwagon and help her out, make her life a little bit easier because she is helping all of us,” Bluder continued. “Sometimes, you know, we used to tell our team ‘Listen, when Caitlin’s light shines on her, it shines on all of us,’ and I think everybody else needs to embrace that a little bit better.”
A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu ignite Nike rivalry in women’s basketball sneakers
The competition between two WNBA icons is transforming the footwear industry and redefining the game
A’ja Wilson’s Signature Shoe Set to Rival Sabrina Ionescu’s in Sneaker Showdown
The basketball world is shifting, and the women’s game is at the forefront of that evolution.A’ja Wilson, the dynamic forward for the Las Vegas Aces, is making history on and off the court. With her dominance in the WNBA and a highly anticipated signature shoe on the horizon, Wilson is stepping into uncharted territory for female athletes-a head-to-head competition in the basketball footwear market.
For years, signature basketball shoes were the exclusive domain of NBA superstars. However, Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty has shattered that norm, becoming a trailblazer with her widely celebrated “Sabrina 1s.” Her shoes have not only gained traction in the WNBA but also among NBA players, with a staggering 177 pros rocking her sneakers on and off the hardwood.
A’ja Wilson reveals what she really feels when she gets called the LeBron James of the WNBA
As discussed on the recent Club 520 Podcast, the buzz around Wilson’s forthcoming signature shoe has created a potential rivalry with Ionescu. Commentator DJ Wells praised both stars, noting the immense impact they could have on the industry. “Sabrina’s shoe has been a popular shoe,”Wells said, acknowledging the Liberty guard’s current reign in basketball footwear. However, he added that Wilson’s entry into this space could significantly shake things up. “A’ja about to get one.”
