For athletes, few things are more important than the number they choose to wear. And while we know Caitlin Clark as No. 1 following her selection in the 2024 WNBA Draft, she'll make waves as No. 22 in an Indiana Fever uniform.
Clark didn't wear the number at Dowling Catholic High School but donned No. 22 while torching the nets as a member of the Iowa Attack AAU program and during her record-breaking four years at the University of Iowa. By the end of Clark's career, basketball fans recognize who No. 22 with no additional context.
Why does Clark wear No. 22? Here is why Iowa's two-time National Player of the Year has worn — and almost certainly will continue to wear — No. 22 during her basketball career.
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Why does Caitlin Clark wear No. 22?
Clark wears No. 22 because she was born on Jan. 22, 2002. She explained this during this year's Final Four in Cleveland: "Honestly I'm not a very creative person, I was born on Jan. 22, so it's what I went with when I was about 5 years old."
Aside from wearing No. 11 at Dowling Catholic and No. 6 with the United States National Team, No. 22 has been Clark's signature.
Clark's departure from Iowa City ensures that no member of the Hawkeyes women's basketball program will wear the number again. The program announced that No. 22 will be retired and hang from the rafters at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
"We always knew your jersey would be hanging in the rafters,” Iowa athletic director Beth Goetz said during a ceremony commemorating Iowa's 2023-24 season. “It is a privilege for me to now make that official. You will be the last to wear No. 22.”
Clark leaves Iowa as the all-time leading scorer in men's and women's Division I basketball history and led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship games in 2023 and 2024.
“There’s been a lot of really good 22s to come before me and play for this program," Clark said. "… That number holds a lot of weight. Far beyond my name and I guess I am just really grateful and it’ll be a special day when it happens.”
