Ah, Des Moines, Iowa. The place where basketball dreams apparently begin if your name is Caitlin Clark. Imagine this: a wide-eyed nine-year-old, perhaps clutching a basketball nearly her size, staring up at a TV screen as Maya Moore is selected first overall in the 2011 WNBA Draft. Fast forward to 2024, and the same kid, now a bonafide WNBA star herself, will be courtside as her childhood idol gets her jersey immortalized by the Minnesota Lynx. It’s like a Hollywood script that’s somehow even cheesier but with way better jump shots.
The Lynx, those champions of the north, are about to honor one of their own with a jersey retirement ceremony that’ll have fans reaching for the tissues. Yes, Maya Moore, the woman who somehow made basketball look both graceful and utterly unfair to her opponents, is hanging up her jersey for good. But here’s the kicker: The ceremony falls on the same night that Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever visit Minneapolis. Talk about perfect timing!
Now, this night is all about Maya Moore, no doubt. But if you think for a second that Clark isn’t soaking up the limelight herself, think again. This is the latest chapter in what could be a rom-com plot for basketball enthusiasts, with Moore playing the role of the unreachable superstar and Clark as the starstruck fan-turned-protege.
Clark didn’t just stumble into basketball; she practically lived and breathed it growing up in Des Moines, a place where the closest thing to a WNBA city is Minneapolis. Naturally, she gravitated toward the Lynx and their new rookie sensation, Maya Moore. Who wouldn’t? Moore was like the basketball version of a superhero, flying across the court, winning Rookie of the Year, and snagging her first WNBA title all in her debut season. Oh, and she did it all while making it look effortless. Seriously, does she even break a sweat?
For Clark, Moore was the North Star. The Des Moines native has almost always credited her meteoric rise to the inspiration she found in Moore. Let’s not forget that delightful moment earlier this year when Moore surprised Clark during an interview on ESPN. Clark, usually the picture of composure, turned into the embodiment of a fangirl—stuttering, starstruck, and barely holding it together. It’s the kind of wholesome content that melts even the coldest of hearts.
And then there’s the history. Back in 2012, a young Clark met Moore at a basketball camp. Fast forward to 2024, and you’d think the years of intense training and accolades would have hardened Clark’s resolve, but no—meeting Moore again reduced her to that same excitable kid. It’s enough to make you want to go back in time and give your younger self a high-five.
But it’s not just about the emotional full-circle moments. Remember, Moore isn’t just any old basketball player; she’s a living legend. A four-time WNBA champion with accolades that could fill an entire wing of a museum. MVP? Check. Scoring champion? You bet. Finals MVP? Of course. And now, she’s getting the ultimate honor from the Lynx, a jersey retirement that cements her legacy.
Clark, who rewrote the NCAA history books by surpassing Pete Maravich as the all-time leading scorer in Division I basketball earlier this year, is now witnessing her idol’s jersey being hoisted to the rafters. Talk about coming full circle! It’s as if Clark’s basketball career has been a series of destiny-filled moments leading up to this night.
“It’s a very full circle moment for myself,” Clark said. And you can bet she said it with a grin wider than the Mississippi. “I’m getting to live out my dream of playing in the WNBA and be in the arena when they’re retiring her jersey—someone that’s done so much for this league and society and the world. She’s a great individual, a great person.”
Now, let’s talk stats—Moore’s stats, that is. Over eight seasons, she averaged 18.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. Impressive, right? But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We’re talking about a four-time WNBA champion, a seven-time All-WNBA selection, and a woman who made the 20th and 25th Anniversary Teams. Oh, and did I mention she led the WNBA in steals in 2018? Yeah, she’s kind of a big deal.
So, while Maya Moore’s jersey ascends to the rafters of the Target Center, Caitlin Clark will be there, watching with the same awe she had as a kid. Only now, she’s got a jersey of her own—one that plenty of kids are looking up to as they clutch their too-big basketballs, dreaming of their own full-circle moments.