Caitlin Clark is in her third season at the helm of the Iowa women's basketball roster.
But, the extra year being held out to her on a silver platter by the NCAA is an offer she might not be able to refuse.
She has the Hawkeyes to the Sweet 16 as the last top-four team left in their region, but fans watching this year's NCAA Tournament might wonder when they'll see Clark jump to the next level.
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Here's everything you need to know about her plans for the future:
When will Caitlin Clark go to the WNBA?
Caitlin Clark will be eligible to enter the WNBA Draft in 2024, but there's no guarantee she'll leave Iowa next summer.
Clark revealed at the end of February that she is considering delaying her professional career for a fifth season with the Hawkeyes using her COVID-19 eligibility, according to Sports Illustrated.
“That’s where I want to be [the WNBA], but I have another year here and possibly one more after that just because of COVID,” Clark said on the Feb. 27 episode of the Dan Patrick Show. “I probably will have to make a decision on that sometime next year. I really have no clue what I’m going to do, stay for an extra year or leave after next year.”
She sees pros and cons to both sides of the decision and isn't the only woman to be feeling this struggles.
There's two big "what-ifs" to pair with this topic:
One, what if her career continues into a fifth season?
It's highly possible she could break some of the all-time records in the collegiate women's basketball world. She's already close to becoming the NCAA women's leading scorer with 3,324 points (the record holder is Kelsey Plum with 3,527).
Two, what if Clark enlists herself in the 2024 Draft?
She would be a clear lottery pick, if not the No. 1 overall pick, and she could find herself in a class that has options for stars like UConn's Paige Bueckers and LSU's Angel Reese.
MORE: What happened to Paige Bueckers?
What are the WNBA eligibility rules?
In order to be eligible to play in the WNBA, an athlete must either:
- Turn 22 years old in the year of the draft
- Have graduated or be set to graduate from a four-year university within three months of the draft
- Have attended a four-year college and had her original class already graduate or be set to graduate within three months of the draft
The WNBA's rules are a bit more strict than the NBA's. The NBA only requires players entering the Draft to be at least 19 years old in the year of the draft and at least one NBA season removed from high school. A good, current example is Max Christie, 20, who left Michigan State after his freshman year to play for the Lakers.
As of right now, Clark is 21 years old and finishing her third of four years at Iowa, making her ineligible for the 2023 Draft.
The alarm bells are still ringing for 2024 though. The question is what she'll do.
Caitlin Clark's stats, honors
All-time
- Started in all 96 games played
- First player to win the Dawn Staley Guard of the Year award in consecutive seasons
- First Division I player to lead the country in points and assists per game (2021-22 season)
- Joined elite ranks with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, James Hardin, Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only NBA, WNBA, Division I men's and women's basketball player to record back-to-back 30-point triple-doubles since 2000
- Has 42 career double-doubles
- Has 10 career triple-doubles, second-most in NCAA women's basketball history
- Fastest Division I player (men's or women's) to reach 1,500 career points over the last 20 seasons. Was also the fastest Big Ten women's basketball player and eighth-fastest in NCA history to reach the 1,000-point marker (tallied in 40 games)
- Eclipsed 2,000 career points in her 75th game, tying her for fastest NCAA Division I player to do so, yet again
- Second player in Big Ten women's basketball history to have more than 2,000 points, 550 assists, 520 rebounds, 110 steals and 40 blocks in a career
- Has earned 18 Big Ten Player of the Week awards (six alone during her junior season)
2022-23 season
- 26.8 points per game
- Season-high 45 points
- Scored 20 or more points in 29 games, surpassing Sabrina Ionescu's record
- Has a streak of posting double figures in 86 games, an NCAA best
- 249 total rebounds (234 on defense, 15 on offense)
- 291 total assists
- 20 total blocks
- 51 total steals
- 131 total turnovers
- 47% field goal shooting (292-of-621)
- 38% 3-point shooting (115-of-301)
- Has hit at least one 3-pointer in 94 of 96 games played
- 83% free throw shooting (213-of-255)
- Added to seven watchlists between the pre- and post-seasons, including the Nancy Lieberman, the Wooden, the Naismith, the USWBA Ann Meyers Drysdale and the Dawn Staley awards lists
