Caitlin Clark Once Listed Maya Moore and Stephen Curry as Players Who She Tries to “Mimic”

Caitlin Clark became the talk of the town during her time with the Iowa Hawkeyes due to her limitless shooting range and impeccable playmaking and dribbling ability. Her play style has earned her comparison to Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, and unsurprisingly, she admitted that the four-time NBA champion was one of her idols growing up alongside one of the WNBA’s greatest players.

In an interview with Stephen A. Smith in October 2023 at the University of Iowa’s campus, the analyst asked Clark how far along she was in her development as a player. The guard responded that has a lot of room to grow and plenty to learn.

She revealed that growing up she always wanted to be in the spotlight, be recognized as one of the best players, and excite crowds like Curry and four-time WNBA champion Maya Moore. Clark said,

“I grew up watching whether it was Maya Moore, whether it’s Steph Curry. Those are the people I always loved watching their game. The way they shoot the ball, I try to mimic that and try to be half as good. So it’s fun for myself.”

So far, Clark has lived up to her promise. She has altered the landscape of women’s basketball and changed the general perception of the sport. Fans flock to stadiums to watch the guard in action every time she visits their town with the Indiana Fever.

Clark’s impact on women’s basketball impressed her idol Maya Moore, who paid a surprise visit to the young star on Iowa’s senior night in March 2024.

Maya Moore surprises Caitlin Clark on senior night

pic.twitter.com/KJVYX54e8i

— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) March 3, 2024

While Curry has yet to visit Clark, he paid homage to her game and called her must-see TV.

Curry lauded Clark and downplayed comparison to him

In an interview with Jericka Duncan of CBS Mornings, Curry revealed he wasn’t a fan of the comparisons between him and Clark because they narrow her game down to being an elite three-point shooter and discredit other facets of her game, which are as, if not more impactful. He said,

“I think [the comparison] almost robs her of, like, the rest of her game, because she’s such a good floor general, you know, she has her overall, you know, floor game, she’s racking up, you know, close to triple-doubles every night. And, like, her shooting ability is, you know, it’s her superpower, but the rest of her game is as polished as that, and so this is must-see TV.”

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark has been compared to Steph Curry because of her ability to knock down three-pointers.

Praising her overall skills on the court, @StephenCurry30 tells @Jerickaduncan that the comparison “robs her of the rest of her game.” pic.twitter.com/QCyuUalZRi

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) March 12, 2024

Curry, an excellent point guard himself, suggested Clark impacts the game a lot more than he does, especially as the primary ball-handler on the team. The Fever star became only the second player in WNBA history after Courtney Vandersloot to average over eight assists per game in a season, backing the Warriors star’s claim that the 22-year-old is a lot more than an elite shooter.