Caitlin Clark headlines the NCAA Women’s D1 Basketball tournament final between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the LSU Tigers in Dallas.
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Clark has averaged 32.8 points per game over the course of the tournament, which is the second-highest average in tournament history. She also set records for most three-pointers made in a tournament (25) and most points scored in a single game (53).
Caitlin Clark was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament’s regional round. She’s already won AP, Naismith, and USWBA’s National Player of the Year awards for 2023.
It is clear that the sky is the limit for this 6-foot point guard. She’s showcasing hitherto unprecedented offensive performances on the biggest stage of them all. Many scouts, colleagues and competitors have described her as a walking mismatch.
Her amazing play has even earned recognition from the likes of NBA superstar LeBron James. She’s been called the ‘Steph Curry of women’s basketball’ for good reason.
Haha! But FR She’s so COLD!!!!!!! SHEESH
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 27, 2023
Caitlin Clark NIL Deals: Which Brands is Caitlin Clark signed to?
After the NCAA opened the door for athletes to sign NIL deals from the 2021-22 season onwards, quite a few women’s basketball players have signed individual deals. Caitlin Clark, who averaged 27 points, 7 assists, and 5.9 rebounds as a freshman, was an obvious candidate.
She was among the batch of 5 young athletes signed by Nike to a NIL deal last October alongside Bronny James. Clark has repped the Kobe shoe line during this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Her first NIL deal was with a woman-owned Iowa-based clothing brand named The Vinyl Studio. She signed with the brand for an undisclosed amount, announcing the partnership in August 2021.
Clark signed with Bose just ahead of this year’s March Madness tournament. The ad spot features the iconic Jay-Z-Rihanna-Kanye track Run This Town.
Another of her major sponsors is Goldman Sachs. Clark appears in a March Madness commercial for the investment bank alongside UCLA men’s basketball star Caleb Love. The amount of this endorsement is also undisclosed.
Her other sponsors include Buick, H&R Block, Topps and Shootaway. ESPN reports that she made over $1 million before she even signed her Nike deal in October 2022.
Will Caitlin Clark win today?
The Iowa Hawkeyes are 3.5-point favorites heading into this mouth-watering NCAA Final clash. Although the LSU Tigers have Angel Reese and have only lost 2 games this season, Clark’s imperious run of form over the past 2 weeks is simply too good to ignore.
