Athlete of the Year Caitlin Clark Reflects on the Progress and Promise of Women’s Sport

TIME Athlete of the Year Caitlin Clark shared her excitement for the future of the WNBA—and women’s sports as a whole—during a conversation with NBC sports producer and broadcaster Maria Taylor at the “A Year in TIME” event in New York on Dec. 11.

Coinciding with the release of TIME’s Person of the Year issue, the event also included a performance from TIME’s Icon of the Year, Elton John and a conversation with TIME’s CEO of the Year, Lisa Su.

From finishing up her final year in college at the University of Iowa (where she set multiple NCAA Division 1 records), to completing her first season with the Indiana Fever as WNBA Rookie of the Year, Clark admitted that it has been a whirlwind of a year for her, especially at just age 22.

Though she admitted it’s “hard to wrap my head around” the spotlight at times, Clark shared that she takes the responsibility of being a performer and role model for young people very seriously, and she believes this kind of attention is going to become more normal for women’s sports players more broadly.

“It’s special to see those young girls and those young boys that bring signs or are with their mom or dad … That’s a memory that they’re going to share forever,” Clark said. “I remember my first WNBA game, one of the best memories of my childhood, very influential in wanting to be a professional basketball player, wanting to be a great person … so I just try to embody that every single day.”

Taylor, who has covered the WNBA for many years, asked Clark about where she sees the WNBA headed after its popularity boom over the past year—a boom that was certainly due at least in part to Clark’s performances that captivated audiences. Clark said it’s impossible to predict that kind of growth that’s possible for the sport, pointing to the unexpectedly quick ascent of her own career as well as the giant leaps the WNBA has taken in just a few short years.

“I feel like we’re just scratching the surface,” she said. “If you would have told people this is where the WNBA is, five years ago … people probably wouldn't have believed you, because they never thought that was possible. They never thought people would buy tickets; they never thought we’d play on ABC, never thought we’d be on ESPN. They never thought there could be sold out arenas or little kids wanting to wear WNBA jerseys.”

The smartest thing to do now, Clark says, is to invest in women’s sports, because “the price is only going up.” It’s something she hinted that she herself hopes to take an even greater part in eventually.

“I love basketball,” she said, “and hopefully, once [playing] basketball ends, I can still find things that I’m really passionate about and can do; I’ll hopefully be an owner of a sports team one day.”

Clark also responded to feedback since the publication of the Athlete of the Year article, which Taylor said has been overwhelmingly positive but has included some negative comments from those like conservative media commentator Megyn Kelly who accused Clark of “apologizing for being white.”

Clark asserted that she believes she’s “earned every single thing” that’s happened to her, but she’s just as quick to acknowledge the Black women that came before her in the WNBA, including her favorite player Maya Moore.

“There’s been so many amazing Black women that have been in this league, and continuing to uplift them is very important,” she said, “and that's something I’m very aware of.”

On the criticisms from those like Kelly, she added: “I think my best skill is just blocking out the noise, and hopefully it continues to be, because with the way things are going and where the WNBA is going, you want that attention, and you embrace it, and that’s what makes this so fun.”

Both on the court and off, Clark seems aware of her impact though admits that at her young age she is still “figuring out life.” And after playing 82 games in 2024, she’s trying to enjoy the rest she’s been afforded before she kicks back into gear for another season.

“I’m very fortunate and grateful, but I feel like I can just continue to improve.”

A Year in TIME was presented by American Family Insurance, Absolut, Land O’Lakes, and Nike.