A fitting way for Iowa to honor Caitlin Clark’s legend forever
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Here’s an idea:
When Caitlin Clark moves on from college to the WNBA, the University of Iowa should show her the ultimate sign of respect and gratitude by building a statue in her honor.
The statue could be placed where the Dan Gable statue currently sits near the main entrance to Carver-Hawkeye Arena since it makes more sense for the Gable statue to be moved near the front entrance of the new wrestling facility, which is nearing completion.
Because if ever there were an Iowa student-athlete that deserves to have a statue built in her honor, it’s Caitlin Clark.
She would join Gable and Nile Kinnick in the exclusive on campus Hawkeye statue club, and deservedly so, considering everything that she has accomplished in what is now one of the greatest careers in the history of college sports, both men and women.

I would like to say that I came up with the idea, but truth is, I heard it from somebody else, but can’t remember who said it.
It makes sense, though.
A statue should only be considered in the rarest of circumstances in which a legend is being honored.
Caitlin Clark is a 22-year-old living legend in every sense of the word.
A statue of her launching one of her now-famous logo threes would greet fans every time they came to the arena.
A statue would be a constant reminder of what she has accomplished as a Hawkeye.
And if Iowa were opposed to moving the Gable statue, there’s room for two statues in that area, or Clark’s statue could be placed near a different entrance to the arena.
Clark hasn’t said if she plans to use her free Covid year, but either way, the 6-foot senior guard from West Des Moines is already more than deserving to have a statue created in her honor.
Clark has become a cultural phenomenon whose popularity as a college student-athlete is unmatched in any sport.
Her immense talent and productivity, coupled with her dynamic personality, and her moxie, has made Clark the hottest, and maybe the most expensive ticket in sports.

Fans are willing to wait in line for hours at visiting arenas and pay crazy amounts of money just to watch her play.
Clark now packs every arena in which she plays, and Iowa seems to set a new record for television viewership whenever Clark and her cohorts play.
Clark, with a career-high 49 points, set the NCAA all-time scoring record in a win over Michigan last Thursday, but she is arguably a better passer than shooter, and therein lies the key to her greatness.
Caitlin Clark is a generational talent, a once-in-a-lifetime player.
She took center stage at last year’s Final Four in Dallas and the spotlight still follows her wherever she goes. And even though Iowa lost to Louisiana State in the title game, Clark was by far the headline performer.
She is doing things on the court as a player and off the court as a marketing/branding force that didn’t seem possible until she started doing them, and she has helped the sport of women’s basketball to evolve by attracting new fans.
She is quite simply one of a kind, and deserving of a statue.