“You don't need to push down Pete Maravich” - Fox Sports Radio host Jason Whitlock has bold reaction to Caitlin Clark’s latest NCAA record
Iowa phenom Caitlin Clark scored 35 points and etched her name in the history books on Sunday as the Hawkeyes took down the Ohio State Buckeyes 93-83. The senior guard surpassed the 54-year record held by LSU legend "Pistol" Pete Maravich to become Division I's all-time leading scorer. Clark, 22, ended the night on 3,685 points, overtaking Maravich's milestone of 3,667 career points.
Her historic moment came just four days after she surpassed Naismith Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard to become the all-time scoring leader in women's college basketball during a remarkable 33-point performance against Minnesota on Feb. 28.
However, amid the celebrations, Fox Sports Radio host Jason Whitlock offered a bold reaction to Clark's achievement on his X account.
"I’m a nut for Caitlin Clark," Whitlock wrote. "However, this whole Pistol Pete thing is stupid. It needs to stop. You don’t need to push down Pete Maravich to lift up Caitlin Clark, she’s done that herself."
Whitlock's sentiments emphasize the need to celebrate Clark's accomplishments without undermining legends like Maravich.
In her last college basketball season, Clark has proven her mettle. She averages 32.2 points alongside 8.7 assists and 7.4 rebounds. Her whole college career stats were amazing, too. Each game on average through college, she scored 28.3 points and had 8.1 assists and 7.1 rebounds.
However, Maravich was a basketball star voted into the college and basketball hall of fame. He scored an impressive 44.2 points on average, with 5.1 assists and 6.2 rebounds during his time playing for LSU from 1967 to 1970. It was also a time when there was no 3-point line in college basketball.
Caitlin Clark declares for WNBA draft
Clark, the Iowa senior guard and presumptive No. 1 pick for the 2024 WNBA draft, announced her decision to forego her fifth season of college eligibility via social media.
"While this season is far from over and we have a lot more goals to achieve, it will be my last one at Iowa," Clark said. "I am excited to be entering the 2024 WNBA draft."
ESPN analysts weighed in on her potential impact in the WNBA, with Rebecca Lobo predicting that Clark "will make the (Indiana) Fever a playoff contender in 2024." Clark's stellar college career, averaging 32.2 points, 8.7 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game in the 2023-24 season, suggests she'll transition well to the professional level.
Caitlin Clark heroics: Iowa vs. Ohio State on FOX sets viewership records
Iowa played Ohio State on Sunday, with the matchup broadcast on FOX. According to the network, about 3.39 million people watched the game, making it the most watched women's basketball game on FOX. Caitlin Clark scored 35 points, breaking the NCAA scoring record held by Pete Maravich.
The game between the two teams had FOX's biggest regular season TV audience since 1999. The second half had as many as 4.42 million people watching at one time.