Sport

Caitlin Clark’s passing flair an overlooked part of Iowa stardom: ‘Pick your poison’

And as it does — as she unleashes every eye-catching 3-pointer and breaks new scoring records — one of her most essential on-court traits goes overlooked.

“It’s funny because obviously she’s the best scorer in college basketball history, [but] the crazy thing is people don’t talk about her passing enough,” Penn State coach Carolyn Kieger said recently. “She’s got phenomenal vision. She sees plays before they happen. She’s thinking two steps ahead.”

4 Caitlin Clark has been the Big Ten’s assist leader for four consecutive seasons.USA TODAY NETWORK Clark’s eyes are always up, looking to her teammates before she looks at the rim.

She can get her shot off whenever she pleases, so she usually first checks to see who might have a better look.

It is why Iowa ranks first nationally in scoring (92.8 points per game) and assists (21.9), with Clark leading the nation in both individual categories, with 31.8 points and 8.9 assists per game.

It is the second time that Division I’s all-time leading scorer has led the nation in assists, moving Clark up to fourth all-time (1,102), entering the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Clark, who is the only player in a major conference to lead a league in scoring and assists in four straight seasons, is the only player who ranks in the top 25 all-time in scoring and assists.

“That’s so many more additional points she’s creating for her team,” West Virginia coach Mark Kellogg said. “That’s kind of the pick your poison. … Do you try to make her a scorer? Do you try to make her a facilitator? What’s the game plan going to be?”

Of course, Clark does it with unmatched flair.

4 Caitlin Clark has “phenomenal vision,” Penn State coach Carolyn Kieger said.Getty Images

4 Caitlin Clark dished out 10 assists in Iowa’s win against Holy Cross in the NCAA Tournament.USA TODAY NETWORK Most games feature a full-court touchdown pass, a behind-the-back gem and a laser through traffic.

Sometimes, it backfires, like her six-turnover outing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

She carries the DNA of Brett Favre, a gunslinger with the s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 and audacity to believe a pass can fit through a keyhole, to expect teammates to read her mind.

“I think I see the game at such a fast speed, you can almost see something that’s about to happen before it happens,” Clark said. “That’s my style of play. It’s high-risk, high-reward. That’s how I’m gonna play. Coach [Lisa] Bluder lets me do those sorts of things.”

Clark was doing it long before she became college basketball’s biggest star.

The Iowa native was a rising ninth grader, when her soon-to-be Dowling Catholic High School coach Kristin Meyer saw Clark whip a behind-the-back pass for the first time.

4 Caitlin Clark sits fourth all-time in the NCAA for assists entering their NCAA Tournament game Monday.USA TODAY NETWORK Meyer told her it was “risky.”

In hopes of not stifling her joy and creativity, the coach came up with the “one-plus” rule.

If Clark successfully completed a behind-the-back pass, Meyer would allow her to throw another.

If it resulted in a turnover, the green light would disappear.

Through four years of high school, Meyer never had to tell her to stop.

“She would’ve kept doing it even if she wasn’t supposed to,” Meyer said. “They were always on the money and at opportune times. Some of them were to showboat, but a lot of them really worked in the situation

“Her style of play really hasn’t changed much since high school. She’s just gotten better at every aspect of the game.”

Related Posts

Por qué Novak Djokovic cree que Andy Murray es el hombre indicado para ayudarlo en su último esfuerzo por superar a Carlos Alcaraz y Jannik Sinner mientras los antiguos rivales del tenis comienzan un capítulo impactante juntos

Nunca iba a permanecer mucho tiempo en el campo de golf. Por mucho que a Andy Murray le haya gustado hacer que su hándicap se desplomara hasta casi llegar a…

Travis Kelce’s Dad Ed Sweetly Trades Friendship Bracelets with Taylor Swift Fans as He Attends Her Toronto Eras Tour Show Solo

Ed Kelce was in attendance at Swift’s Eras Tour show in Toronto on Nov. 23 Travis Kelce’s dad is bonding with Taylor Swift’s fans! On Saturday, Nov. 23, Ed Kelce was…

Angel Reese Says You’ll Never See Her In A Public Relationship ‘Until I’m Married’

Angel Reese says she won’t disclose who she’s in a relationship with until there’s a ring on her finger. The WNBA phenom sat with Complex’s Speedy Morman for Complex Con(versations) during…

Ciara shows her support for her husband Russell Wilson’s football career in a very cute way

With the return of the NFL, Sundays are all about football in the Russell family. On Monday, 34-year-old Ciara shared a sweet snap of her three children from…

“Carlos Alcaraz perdió parte de esa alegría”: el ex entrenador de Roger Federer culpa a la derrota de Novak Djokovic en la final de los Juegos Olímpicos de París de arruinar la forma del español

Alcaraz, que acumuló buenas actuaciones en los torneos de la primera mitad de la temporada, ganó su primer título de 2024 en Indian Wells en marzo. Luego ganó…

Angel Reese’s sultry dance on TikTok captivated her followers as she revealed a side of her never seen before

Reese left her followers absolutely speechless Angel Reese is no stranger to wowing her fans on social media, but the Chicago Sky star took things to the next level in her latest video. Known for her…