"Keep going, keep pushing": Caitlin Clark chasing Pete Maravich's all-time scoring record draws big-time motivation from WNBA champ Brittney Griner
Brittney Griner joined a plethora of stars in celebrating Caitlin Clark's latest accomplishment. Clark made history last Thursday, becoming the NCAAW's all-time leading scorer. The Iowa Hawkeyes guard now has 3,569 career points, surpassing Kelsey Plum's 3,527.
In a video posted by the Big Ten Network on X, Brittney Griner joined Tom Brady, Clark's former teammate Monika Czinano, Peyton Manning, Damian Lillard, and many more in congratulating the 6-foot guard.
“Hey Caitlin, I just wanted to congratulate you on becoming the all-time scorer. Keep going, keep pushing and good luck,” said Griner.
Brittney Griner herself had a reason to celebrate recently. The former Baylor center's #42 jersey was hoisted into the rafters of the new Foster Pavilion. In honor of her illustrious collegiate career with the Bears, Griner's jersey now hangs alongside other Baylor greats. Some of these include Odyssey Sims, Melissa Jones, Nina Davis, Suzie Snider Eppers, Shelia Lambert, and Sophia Young.
Griner also features on the list of top scorers as she occupies the fifth spot. During her time with the Baylor Lady Bears, the WNBA champion accumulated 3283 points. Brittney Griner's 748 blocks are an NCAA record for career blocks (men and women). Along with her collegiate records, Griner also conquered the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury.
After surpassing Brittney Griner and Plum, what's next for Caitlin Clark?
The road ahead is long for the Iowa native with more records to break. First, there is Lynette Woodard, who is the all-time scoring leader in women's major college basketball. During her time with Kansas, Woodard put up a career total of 3649 points. The NCAA does not recognize this because she achieved it when women's college sports were under the governance of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW).
Additionally, Pete Maravich of LSU scored 3667 between 1967-70. Nicknamed Pistol, he accomplished this with an average of 44.2 ppg despite no 3-point line or shot clock. This record should be doable for Clark, who averages 32.8 ppg, shooting 47.5% from the field.
The Iowa Hawkeyes have four more games this season, with a couple more in the NCAA Tournament. After losing the championship last year to LSU, Clark & company will be looking to redeem themselves and give the Hawkeyes their first title in history.