Iowa has had a number of great athletes through the years, but I can't think of an athlete who's meant more to a team than Clark. I admittedly wasn't around for the Ronnie Lester years he may be the only one that comes close.
Has a single player been more important to an Iowa team in history?
- Thread starter General Tso
- Start date
I loved Ronnie, but he was not close IMO. A triple double in an Elite 8 game is simply ridiculous!
Accounting for 70-80% of a teams points??
She is amazing!
Accounting for 70-80% of a teams points??
She is amazing!
Last edited:
Lester is a decent comparison but that team made it to the Tourney with him out of action most of the season. When he came back they made their run with him at maybe 60% of his former self...
Anyway, I don't think this women's team does much of anything without Clark. Maybe I'm being uncharitable in that assessment.
I agree with this, although I was too young to really remember Lester much beyond the tournament run that year. Still, without Clark I just don't see how this Iowa team finishes much above .500, especially as good as the Big 10 was this year.
I am assuming you mean if Clark was injured, because if she hadn’t come to Iowa we obviously would have had another PG recruited and this team would still be good but not great. We may have even seen more growth from the bench if we weren’t all in with the starters. They would probably have lost 4-5 more games.
She either scored or assisted on every point in the first quarter. She's on a whole different level.
A healthy Lester was something to behold...never the same after his injury. Still was able to hang around the NBA for 6 years.
Well, that is true, but I just don't see how any point guard they might have been able to get would put up even a fraction of the production Clark has. Paige Bueckers wasn't going to come to Iowa.
No way. She is that good.
I know we all live with major recency bias but the stats don't lie.
I know we all live with major recency bias but the stats don't lie.
Every time the ball leaves her hand, I’m shocked on those rare occasions it doesn’t go in, regardless of where she is on the court. Some of her passes are unbelievable, women’s or men’s game both. She is amazing.
actually stats lie all the time. Look at Chamberlins 100 pt game. That was planned to a great extent.
A healthy Ronnie Lester is wearing the net after the final four that year.
I doubt Iowa ever lands another player as dominate in basketball ever again. Hope I am wrong.
We’re lucky to have her. She’s not only the most important/best player to her team, she might be the most important/best player for her sport. She’s transforming the narrative on women’s basketball.
If you are talking money I would say Chuck Long is in conversation. Donations , exposure, and raising program up a few notches long term.
If you are just talking team impact. Clark by a landslide. But the momentum will be over once she is gone.
If you are just talking team impact. Clark by a landslide. But the momentum will be over once she is gone.
never been a big fan of women's- always considered it an inferior product- but CC and the iowa women's basketball team are as fun to watch as any men's team. exciting brand of basketball, great passing and confident shooters.
If anyone has seen a more dominant “Star power” athlete at Iowa, please advise. I’m 74, been following the Hawks since 1956 and I haven’t seen a player wearing the home team colors like her….ever. Male/female.
I would compare her to Larry Bird. Yep…..that good. That talented. She needs a slogan though…..“the hick from West Des Moines” just doesn’t have that ring to it.
Enjoy her while you got her, boys!
I would compare her to Larry Bird. Yep…..that good. That talented. She needs a slogan though…..“the hick from West Des Moines” just doesn’t have that ring to it.
Enjoy her while you got her, boys!
No, when you factor in all her assists she is nearly the entire Iowa offense.
Megan Gustafson would be second IMHO.
Megan Gustafson would be second IMHO.
I agree with that...a one legged Lester was abusing Louisville before he went down.
You underestimate this team. Czinano and Warnock are both All-Conference calibur players, and Marshall and Martin are super reliable.
Without Clark, this is your typical Bluder team, 20-10, somewhere in the vicinity of #7 seed.
I saw Ronnie Lester play many times in person. He was without a doubt the best men's player I ever saw in a Hawkeye uniform. I have also seen Caitlyn Clark play in person five time over the past two season's. It's two different games in my opinion. But, insofar as the impact each player had on the team, and for that matter the game of basketball itself, Clark is the best.
When you speak of generational talents both Clark & Lester belong in the same sentence.
They might be. They might not be. They haven't looked good most of the times Clark wasn't in the game though. Although I'm sure they would adjust a bit if she wasn't ever there.
That was a .500 team without Ronnie playing. They were a national championship team with him.
Last edited:
People get hung up on numbers; they miss the real story. Leadership; inspiration are much more important than numbers
Bluntly speaking those that worship numbers are frankly missing the best part of sports.
I mean over the course of history, if you're just talking basketball, then yeah the names mentioned would be about it.
For football, though for example, you could add names like Kinnick and Brad Banks. Iowa doesn't have that apparently once in a century season in 2002 without Banks.
For football, though for example, you could add names like Kinnick and Brad Banks. Iowa doesn't have that apparently once in a century season in 2002 without Banks.
There is no way you can put Lester and CC in the same room. Lester was an excellent player. Caitlin is a superb player, setting records in multiple categories including accomplishments, achievements and comparisons with NBA players with 48 minute games vs 40 minute college games.
But,..as soon as the 2023-24 season kicks off, you will not see Clark in the press. It will be a cover-to-cover Paige love affair.
We lost the Orange Bowl that season. We won the Orange Bowl less than a decade later.
CC is probably GOAT in team sports, but Lester was a game changer when healthy. I have followed and love all Hawkeye's for over 60 years.
My apologies for not including Nile Kinnick as well. He was inspirational to the nth degree.
My apologies for not including Nile Kinnick as well. He was inspirational to the nth degree.
Last edited:
Keegan had statistically the greatest individual season of any Hawkeye in modern times, but that team didn't accomplish much at a national level. The nature of his position didn't allow him to have nearly the kind of impact on the other players that a great point guard does. It's very difficult to have a great team without a great point guard. It requires an inordinate amount of talent at the other positions to overcome mediocre point guard play. It is why Fran's teams never had a chance at a run regardless of the talent down low.
This is why Clark and Ronnie are the only 2 players in the last 30 years for the women and 70 years for the men to lead their respective Iowa teams to the Final Four. That 1980 team played .500 ball without Ronnie on the floor. It had some great pieces around him, but without him to stir the drink, elevating everyone around him, they likely don't make the tournament.
Caitlin is the same in that she elevates everyone around her. Like Keegan was, Gustafson was an all time great player, but she wasn't the point guard. Clark is the reason this team is in the Final Four, just like Ronnie was over 40 years ago.
This is why Clark and Ronnie are the only 2 players in the last 30 years for the women and 70 years for the men to lead their respective Iowa teams to the Final Four. That 1980 team played .500 ball without Ronnie on the floor. It had some great pieces around him, but without him to stir the drink, elevating everyone around him, they likely don't make the tournament.
Caitlin is the same in that she elevates everyone around her. Like Keegan was, Gustafson was an all time great player, but she wasn't the point guard. Clark is the reason this team is in the Final Four, just like Ronnie was over 40 years ago.
Nile Kinnick is the only one that comes to mind as being close to having that big of impact. Of course I never saw him play but there is a statue of him. There will be a CC statue some day too I’m sure.
Well, we did have the NPOY! Hard to top that. Unfortunately, everyone around him had a massive blowout.
Last edited:
You sure don't see Clark or Martin complaining about there being too much air in the ball.
How are % of points calculated? Specifically, if a pass would have been an assist if shot was made, do the ensuing FFs count towards the passers %?
