Caitlin Clark had one heck of a rookie season in the WNBA, bagging the 2024 Rookie of the Year award like it was no big deal. But long before she was torching the nets for the Indiana Fever, she was busy becoming a legend at the University of Iowa. Now, if you’ve been on social media lately (or even if you’ve been hiding under a rock), you’ve probably come across a juicy rumor: Iowa is getting ready to hoist Caitlin Clark’s jersey into the rafters at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Sounds epic, right?
But hold your horses.
The rumor mill started churning after a certain post from WNBA Centel (yes, that’s “Centel” with an ‘e’) claimed the big ceremony was already locked and loaded, even pointing out a “folded banner” that’s supposedly waiting for the grand reveal. That would be amazing… if only WNBA Centel wasn’t a parody account. Yep, that’s right – it’s the sports news version of your friend who swears they’ve got “inside sources” but is really just making stuff up for kicks.
So no, Zach Lowe did not tweet about Caitlin Clark’s jersey retirement. And that “folded banner” in the rafters? Probably just a gym towel someone forgot to put away.
But Wait, Don’t Rule It Out Yet…
Here’s the thing – while this particular rumor is as fake as a 3 a.m. infomercial, Iowa has made it clear that Clark’s legendary No. 22 will be retired. When, you ask? Well, that’s still a mystery. Maybe they’re just trying to find the perfect day when all of Iowa can stop what they’re doing to salute their hometown hero.
Honestly, is anyone even surprised Clark is getting immortalized? She rewrote the history books, becoming the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I basketball, surpassing the legendary Pete Maravich’s record of 3,667 points. And it wasn’t like she padded her stats playing against JV squads; Clark went up against the toughest competition and delivered jaw-dropping performances with ease.
A Stellar Rookie Season… But Let’s Not Forget Her College Days
After being the queen of the court at Iowa, Caitlin Clark hit the WNBA like a meteor, instantly making the Indiana Fever relevant again. Not that they weren’t already a little relevant, but let’s be real, Clark was the spark they needed to become watchable. She averaged 19.2 points, dished out a league-best 8.4 assists per game, and even crashed the boards with 5.7 rebounds per night – all while probably managing to post a highlight reel that made defenders wonder why they even bothered showing up.
But her Iowa days? Oh, man. She led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship games (yeah, they didn’t win either, but no one’s holding that against her). She was basically a one-woman wrecking crew, drawing attention from every corner of the country and building a fanbase so dedicated, they’d probably argue she invented the crossover if you asked them.
When reflecting on her time at Iowa, Clark didn’t even seem fazed by the lack of a championship. In fact, she summed it up perfectly after the Hawkeyes fell to South Carolina in the title game last year:
“Whether it’s the way the fans have supported me, the way I’ve been able to represent my state where I grew up, my family being at every single game – there’s not a regret in my mind of how things went,” she told ESPN. “I’ll be able to sleep every night even though I never won a national championship.”
A pretty refreshing take, right? Especially in a world where winning is supposed to be everything.
What’s Next for Caitlin Clark (and Her Jersey)?
So, while we’re still waiting for the actual announcement of when Clark’s jersey will be retired, there’s no denying it’s coming. If you’ve dropped nearly 4,000 points in your college career, that jersey isn’t staying on the shelf for long. But for now, we’ll just have to settle for watching her light up the WNBA while Iowa figures out the logistics.
And hey, maybe that “folded banner” really does get a spot in the rafters someday – for best rumor of the year.
Stay tuned, folks. This story’s far from over.
