“I want my legacy to be the impact that I have on young kids and the people in the state of Iowa,” Clark said on Sunday
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PHOTO: RON JENKINS/GETTY
Caitlin Clark delivered an emotional postgame press conference after the Iowa Hawkeyes were defeated by the LSU Tigers 102-85 in the Women’s NCAA Tournament title game on Sunday.
When asked by the media what she wants her legacy to be, a tearful Clark, 20, said, “I want my legacy to be the impact that I have on young kids and the people in the state of Iowa. I hope I brought them a lot of joy this season.”
Clark, who is from Des Moines, Iowa, said she hopes the entire Hawkeyes team made her home state proud.
“I understand we came up one win short, but I think we have a lot to be proud of and a lot to celebrate,” she continued.
Through tears, Clark said she was once “just that young girl” dreaming of playing basketball on the big stage.
"I want my legacy to be the impact that I have on young kids and the people in the state of Iowa.
I hope I brought them a lot of joy this season."
-Caitlin Clark pic.twitter.com/LfmnVamTXC
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 2, 2023
“So all you have to do is dream and you can be in moments like this,” Clark said, hoping to inspire the next generation of talented collegiate athletes.
Despite the loss, Clark broke the NCAA tournament’s all-time scoring record on Sunday. She scored the most three-pointers in an NCAA championship game and finished the game with 30 points, eight assists and two rebounds.
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C. MORGAN ENGEL/NCAA PHOTOS VIA GETTY
The Iowa Hawkeyes star isn’t eligible to enter the WNBA draft until after next season, but her future at Iowa remains undecided, according to SI. She quickly became the talk of the tournament when she delivered a number of jaw-dropping shooting performances — and for her trash talking.
After the game, Clark expressed her gratitude to the fans that supported her team during the tournament in a tweet.
“Thank you to all who have supported us on this magical run,” she wrote on Twitter. “I am lucky to wear Iowa across my chest and represent our state. I love these girls to death and could not be more proud of all we accomplished this szn. Go hawks always.”
