In a crossover that no one saw coming but everyone needed, WNBA rookie sensation Caitlin Clark found herself in a Cinderella moment over the weekend—except the glass slipper was a pair of ginormous, signed cleats from New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge. Spoiler alert: They didn’t fit.
Clark, fresh off a historic college season and now lighting up the WNBA courts, decided to take her talents to the Bronx, where she was gifted with a pair of signed Jordans by the MLB’s home run king himself. To say the size of the cleats caught Clark off guard would be the understatement of the year.
As Clark unboxed the mammoth sneakers, her reaction was nothing short of priceless. “That’s awesome. I appreciate it. Thank you. I don’t know if they’ll fit anywhere yet. Half my foot will go in there,” Clark quipped, as Judge, a towering figure in his own right, burst into laughter. It was a moment that quickly went viral, with Yankees fans getting a kick out of the WNBA star’s humorous take on the Yankees’ social media.
Clark, who made her first visit to Yankee Stadium, seemed a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size of everything—starting with Judge. “He’s way bigger than even people think. Like, I knew he was big, but then when you get next to him, it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, you could probably play football or just about any sport,’” Clark said, as she marveled at the baseball giant. “He probably thinks he could be pretty good at basketball too, but let’s be real, those cleats wouldn’t make it past half-court!”
The Indiana Fever rookie, known for her sharpshooting skills on the court, may have met her match in terms of sheer physical presence. But if anyone’s keeping score, Clark’s witty comeback to Judge’s cleats clearly won the day.
It was all in good fun, though. Clark, ever the good sport, had nothing but praise for Judge, calling him “a good, down-to-earth guy.” But let’s be honest—no one will forget the image of Clark trying to figure out what to do with a pair of size-giant Jordans anytime soon.
For those who missed it, Clark also spent some time in the broadcast booth during the Yankees’ doubleheader against the Texas Rangers, sharing her excitement over meeting the team’s stars and her experiences in a very soggy New York. “This is my first time at Yankee Stadium, so it’s a great day for it… except for all the rain,” she laughed, noting that she had been dodging raindrops since Thursday.
Clark and Judge may come from different sports, but their shared moment of lightheartedness and camaraderie proves that athletes, regardless of the game they play, can always find a way to connect—usually with humor, a bit of sarcasm, and in this case, a very large pair of shoes.
As for Clark, she’ll return to the court with the Indiana Fever after the WNBA’s Olympic break, while Judge continues to smash home runs, likely adding more to his MVP campaign. But one thing’s for sure—Clark now knows exactly how big the shoes are that Judge fills, both literally and figuratively.
