Caitlin Clark opens up on the ‘difficult decision’ to leave Iowa early for the WNBA and says she didn’t realize she broke the NCAA scoring record until she heard the crowd: ‘You can’t really script it any better’

Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark spoke in-depth about her decision to join the WNBA and what it was like to set a new NCAA points record.

The Hawkeyes star spoke to Good Morning America on a range of topics as her career in college comes to an end.

Clark still has a year of eligibility remaining thanks to the Covid year that all NCAA athletes received, but she decided it was time for a change.

‘Well, I think there’s pros and cons to both sides, and that’s what made the decision so difficult,’ Clark told GMA’s Robin Roberts.

‘It was almost a win win, but at the same time a lose lose, because I was giving up something, and I’m just kind of ready for the next chapter and a new challenge in my life.

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Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark spoke to Good Morning America this week

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She opened up on her decision to leave college with a year of eligibility left to join the WNBA

‘But I think the reason I decided to announce it when I did was just to have that closure, especially going into senior night.’

Clark is the consensus No. 1 overall pick – with the Indiana Fever already showing signs that they will take her with the top selection.

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That means that Clark will leave her home state for the first time. The West Des Moines native says it’s time to explore a new place.

‘I think it’s something I’m ready for, and that’s why I decided to make this move,’ she said. ‘But also, this is the place, like all I’ve known all my life, and that was the main reason of coming to the University of Iowa.

‘I wanted to play for my home state. I wanted to do something that really had never been done before.’

Clark recently passed Pete Maravich to become the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer. While she was aware that she needed to hit a certain number of points, she didn’t know how many she had when she sank two free throws to set the record.

‘We’re playing the number two team in the country one senior night on our home court,’ Clark said. ‘You can’t really script it any better.

‘I honestly didn’t realize it until everybody started going wild. And it’s just cool to have so many people in the stands that one appreciate women’s basketball, but they understand the history of it.’

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Clark recently broke the NCAA career scoring record previously held by Pete Maravich

Clark has been seen as a trailblazer for women’s sports and her success this season has done wonders for women’s basketball – with more and more people tuning in.

She told Roberts that she’s still told by people that they’re shocked how tough and competitive the sport is.

‘Yeah, I think it still does surprise me that people get a little distraught about women being competitive and getting into little arguments on the court or having a little trash talk, and that’s how it should be.

‘I think more than anything, it’s like surprising. Like you guys didn’t know this is how women’s sports are played. Come on.’