Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark isn’t just dominating the WNBA; she’s become basketball royalty. But did you know this dribbling dynamo once grappled with the unthinkable—shyness? Yes, the player whose no-look passes and long-range bombs scream swagger was once the quiet kid in the corner. Shocking, right?
The big reveal comes courtesy of Jeff Walz, her former coach during the USA U-19 tryouts in 2019. Walz shared a little-known tidbit about Clark’s rookie vibes: she was quiet, reserved, and, dare we say it, bashful. He had to coax her out of her shell, and the secret weapon? A smile.
“The first time we were at tryouts, (Clark) was really quiet, reserved,” Walz spilled. “I told her it was okay to smile. I told her it would help if she talked, and that, I think, broke the ice for her.”
Imagine Caitlin Clark, the queen of confidence, needing a pep talk to crack a grin. Yet, Walz wasn’t done sprinkling his wisdom. “It’s a stressful situation,” he explained. “Thirty-something basketball prodigies battling for just 12 roster spots. You’re competing hard.” And smile therapy worked wonders because, spoiler alert, Clark made the team, and the rest is history.
From Quiet Prodigy to Global MVP
Fast forward to the 2021 FIBA U-19 World Cup, where Clark wasn’t just a participant; she was the participant. With Team USA gunning for their ninth gold medal, Clark played like she had something to prove. In the finals against Australia, she nearly notched a triple-double with nine points, eight assists, and eight rebounds. Across the tournament, she averaged 14.3 points, 5.6 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game. Oh, and she casually bagged the MVP title, because why not?
Clark’s meteoric rise has been nothing short of legendary. Today, she’s one of the biggest reasons the WNBA is experiencing a surge in popularity. If Jeff Walz had a nickel for every time someone credited him for telling Clark to smile, he might be able to buy front-row seats to her next game.
The Paris Olympics Snub Saga
And yet, not all fairy tales are seamless. When Clark’s name was missing from Team USA’s Paris Olympics roster, basketball Twitter went into meltdown mode. Fans, analysts, and probably some basketball-loving pets united in disbelief. “How do you leave her off the roster?” was the collective cry. Was it politics? Was it madness? Whatever it was, it felt like leaving a Rolls Royce in the garage during a road trip.
Still, Caitlin Clark doesn’t need validation from anyone at this point. From overcoming shyness to becoming a global icon, she’s already proven she’s a walking highlight reel. Who knew a simple smile could lead to basketball superstardom? Lesson learned: always listen to your coach.
