Jay Williams shares high praise of Iowa star Caitlin Clark originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
March Madness became Clark Madness on Sunday.
Iowa phenom Caitlin Clark posted a historic triple-double in the Elite Eight on Sunday against Louisville, erupting for 41 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. It marked the first time a men’s or women’s player had ever exceeded 30 points while posting a triple-double in an NCAA Tournament game, and it put her Hawkeyes in the Final Four for the first time since 1993.
Sunday’s showcase in Seattle was the latest exhibit of Clark’s talent. She ranks third in the nation in points per game (27.3) and first in assists (8.6). In the eyes of ESPN’s Jay Williams, Clark is unlike anything else in college sports – on and off the court.
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“I firmly believe she is the biggest brand in college sports right now,” Williams said Monday morning on “First Take.”
Williams continued his praise of Clark by putting her in the same sentence as two basketball legends.
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“Everything you see about her has a similar swag, right?” Williams said. “It’s a swag you hear of people like Kobe Bryant. You see Sue Bird at the game watching this almost in amazement of her. I firmly believe when it’s all said and done, she is the biggest brand in college sports right now.”
Triple-doubles, logo 3-pointers and cool celebrations have helped Clarks thrive on social media. Along with being a highlight machine, she has over 226,000 followers on Instagram and 48,000 followers on Twitter.
Clark will have another year as one of the faces of college sports. She is not eligible to enter the WNBA draft until 2024, keeping her at Iowa for at least one more season before she moves to the professional level.
Next up for Clark is a Final Four contest on Friday in Dallas. Iowa will face the winner of Monday’s Elite Eight matchup between No. 2 Maryland and No. 1 South Carolina, the favorite to win the 2023 national title.
