5 times $3.3M NIL-valued Caitlin Clark got caught into controversies ft. Head butting
Caitlin Clark concluded her collegiate basketball career with a final game against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the national championship game, though she fell short of the win. The star player will now prepare for the 2024 WNBA draft, leaving her fans to miss her on-court presence as she makes her way to the pros.
While the $3.3 million NIL-valued athlete moves on to a bigger platform, the on-court disputes and controversies will remain fresh in the minds of many of her fans. Let’s revisit the five times Clark found herself entangled in controversy.
#1 Caitlin Clark shouted an explicit statement that caused her father to get angry
When the Iowa Hawkeyes played against West Virginia in the Second Round of the NCAA tournament, Caitlin Clark scored an impressive basket in the closing minutes of the game. However, she let out an explicit scream. A video captured the moment of her saying:
“Shut the f*ck up”
The camera then shifted to Brent Clark, the Iowa standout’s father, to get his reaction. Brent appeared visibly agitated, mouthing something to himself.
#2 Diana Taurasi gave a blunt statement for Clark on her upcoming WNBA career
After the Hawkeyes defeated the UConn Huskies in the Final Four matchup, Phoenix Mercury and former Huskies guard Diana Taurasi warned that Clark’s transition to the WNBA will not be easy.
"Reality is coming," Taurasi told ESPN's Scott Van Pelt. "You look superhuman playing against some 18-year-olds, but you're going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time."
Clark did not respond to Diana’s statement, but it sparked frustration among NBA stars like Sam Dekker and college hoops fans to get frustrated over her views.
#3 Clark waved off Raven Johnson in a year-old game
The image of the Iowa star waving off Raven Johnson as if to say "no threat" during a game between Iowa and South Carolina last year remains vivid.
The Gamecocks guard admitted that she could not shake off the moment until senior Laeticia Amihere intervened to help her forget the incident.
A year later, when the two teams faced off against each other in the NCAA championship game, Johnson channeled her inner feelings into redemption and won against Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
#4 Caitlin head-butted the ball after getting the steal
After Caitlin Clark secured a steal against the Holy Cross Crusaders, she called a timeout but was unable to score. This led her to headbutt the basketball, despite holding a strong lead against her opponent.
#5 Brent Clark showed her frustration yet again
The game against the Crusaders proved challenging for the Hawkeyes as Caitlin Clark was pestered throughout the game by her opponents. When a Holy Cross player elbowed her, she was seen complaining to her father about the reffing, despite her team leading the game at 48-29, with 50.3 seconds left in the third quarter.
In turn, Brent Clark dismissed his daughter’s complaints with apparent impatience.