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Before Caitlin Clark’s record-shattering rookie season with the Indiana Fever, she was already the undisputed face of college basketball. Drafted No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark’s resume at the University of Iowa was nothing short of extraordinary.
The 23-year-old phenom was a two-time AP Player of the Year, a two-time Naismith College Player of the Year, a four-time first-team USBWA All-American, a four-time first-team WBCA All-American, and a three-time unanimous first-team All-American. She also claimed three first-team AP All-American selections during her career.
Clark ended her collegiate career as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer with 3,951 points and set the single-season scoring record with 1,234 points. She led Division I in scoring and assists three times and topped the charts in 3-pointers twice. Additionally, Clark became the first player to lead Division I in both points and assists in the same season—an incredible feat she accomplished twice, in 2022 and 2024.
ESPN Excludes Clark from Top 5 List: Controversy Ensues
Despite her staggering achievements, ESPN did not rank Clark among the top five women’s college basketball players of all time, a decision that left many fans bewildered.
"In the open, we said, ‘What makes a top-five player? Winning,’” ESPN’s Ari Chambers explained. “The only thing, the only strike against Caitlin Clark, is that she has not won a National Championship. And that is the only thing that you can put against her because the way that she has dominated the record books when she was at Iowa was something you could not duplicate. … But how can you be a top-five player if you have not won a title?"
This explanation didn’t sit well with fans who believed Clark’s impact and statistical dominance should have cemented her place on the list.
Sue Bird Challenges ESPN’s Decision
WNBA legend and 13-time All-Star Sue Bird voiced her disagreement with ESPN’s exclusion of Clark during a recent episode of the “A Touch More” podcast.
“Listen, I think the way that I'm looking at this — no, Caitlin didn't win (a title); it's why she's not No. 1 (on the list),” Bird remarked. “I think going to the national championship game two years in a row, basically playing big in every big game, hitting every big shot in every big moment — there's something to that clearly.
"[She’s] obviously special, definitely one of the greatest of all time. And I think when I really look at lists like this, it's kind of like, do you go based on just resumé, or do you base it on if we had a draft, who would you take? And there's no way you're not taking Caitlin Clark in the top five. And to me, there's no way you're not taking her in the top three."
Bird emphasized that Clark’s ability to shine in high-pressure situations, coupled with her overall dominance, more than justified her inclusion among the greatest college players ever.
Clark’s Near Misses in National Championship Games
Although Clark didn’t win a national championship, she led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national title games. In 2024, Iowa fell to an undefeated South Carolina squad, while the previous year, they lost to a formidable LSU team, led by current Chicago Sky star Angel Reese.
A Career Defined by Excellence
Clark’s impact on women’s basketball goes beyond accolades. Her remarkable performances brought unprecedented attention to women’s college basketball, drawing record-breaking television ratings and filling arenas across the country.
Despite ESPN’s omission, her contributions to the sport remain undeniable. As Bird and countless fans have pointed out, Clark’s legacy is already secure—even without a national championship.
