20 February 2024 , 01:00
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Caitlin Clark, the NCAA all-time leading women's points scorer, has been warned not to "kill momentum" by leaving Iowa to declare for the WNBA Draft.
Clark, 22, claimed the NCAA's record during Iowa's 106-89 win against Michigan last Thursday. She was met with chants of "one more year" after competing the feat, hoping she would stay for an extra fifth year of eligibility due to the COVID pandemic.
Clark is believed to earn around $818,000 (£649,450) per year through the NIL (name, image, likeness) system, which is how college stars pocket cash. College athletes aren't paid by the NCAA, which places extra emphasis on endorsements and off-court deals.
Despite being tipped as the No.1 overall pick if she turns professional, sports columnist and podcaster Jason Whitlock thinks she should stay put. He said on his show 'Fearless:' She would be making am mistake leaving college basketball.
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“The WNBA is the wrong platform for her to continue her momentum. Joining the WNBA would kill her momentum. It’s going to reach a crescendo during this NCAA Tournament. I think she should return to Iowa.
"It’s a better platform for her to drive interest in women’s college basketball. The WNBA can’t sustain anything for her. It’d be the wrong move not just for her, but all of women’s basketball for her to go to the WNBA. She needs to stick around in college basketball."
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Clark has become the highest points scorer in NCAA women's basketball history (Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Kelsey Plum, who’s all-time scoring record Clark broke in her superb 49-point performance against Michigan, stated Iowa should do everything to keep her. "Everyone’s trying to figure out if she’s coming out or staying put," Plum said earlier in the week. "But if I’m Iowa, I’m gonna throw the kitchen sink at her, for sure."
Speaking in December, Clark admitted she’s in a “win-win” scenario but remained undecided on what the future would hold. "Either leave and go to the WNBA Draft or stay here for another year,” Clark said on SiriusXM's College Sports show.
"It’s a hard decision because in my eyes it’s like a win-win. I can go and kind of live out a lifelong dream, or I can stay here and be in college, start working on my masters, or start working on another degree and still play college basketball with some of my best friends.
"That’s what almost makes it so hard as both seem so amazing. It’s cool. Obviously, COVID has allowed me the opportunity to even have this choice. But I’m just trying to live in the moment. It’s a big decision and I try not to get too stressed out about it."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.