Is IOWA retiring Caitlin Clark's jersey? Debunking viral rumor about 2024 WNBA ROTY (PO)

Caitlin Clark had a stellar first year in the WNBA, winning the league’s 2024 rookie of the year. But before she starred for the Indiana Fever, she had built her reputation as a topnotch baller while playing for the University of Iowa women’s basketball team.

As per a post from the WNBA Centel, the school is preparing to honor its former standout with a jersey retirement, claiming that all things are already set and ready for the unveilment. It made a reference to a folded banner at the rafters of the Carver-Hawkeye Arena, home of the Iowa team.

The post read:

“Caitlin Clark is getting her jersey retired at Iowa, per @ZachLoweESPM”

However, it should be noted that WNBA Centel is a parody account that’s widely known for posting fake news stories and videos for entetainment. It’s not affiliated with the WNBA or NBA Central.

Iowa has made it known that it intends to immortalize Caitlin Clark for her achievements with the Hawkeyes by having her “No. 22” jersey being retired. There’s no definite date yet on that, though.

Clark is widely regarded as one of the greatest collegiate players of all time. She’s the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division 1 history, men or women, with 3,951 points, breaking the longtime record held by basketball legend ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich. The Des Moines native also is only one of 10 women with multiple Naismith Player of the Years awards.

In her final two collegiate years, she led Iowa to the national championship game, albeit losing both times, to LSU and South Carolina. Along the way, she garnered a huge following nationwide, which she carried to the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark was stellar in her rookie season for the Fever, averaging 19.2 points, 8.4 assists (league-high), 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals, helping Indiana to renewed competitiveness. Her arrival, too, was credited for significantly boosting interest in the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark content with how Iowa career ended even without title

Caitlin Clark didn’t win a national title in her four years at Iowa but is still content with how things ended for her.

She shared it following her final collegiate game with the Hawkeyes last year where they lost to South Carolina, 87-75, in the national championship game, highlighting that while a title eluded her, it was still a great run. Clark said (via ESPN):

“Whether it’s the way the fans have supported me, the way I’ve been able to represent my state where I grew up, my family being at every single game — there’s not a regret in my mind of how things went. I’ll be able to sleep every night even though I never won a national championship.”

Claark’s work at Iowa translated to her being selected first overall in the WNBA rookie draft this year, which she fully backed by going on to win the rookie of the year honors.