Lisa Bluder, with plenty of help, has masterfully built culture for Caitlin Clark to thrive
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – One thing that is easy to overlook in the presence of Caitlin Clark is everybody else.
Her teammates.
Her coaches.
The medical support staff.
The student managers.
It takes a community to build a legend, and Clark would be the first to say it.
Iowa’s all-everything senior guard is always quick to share the praise and the spotlight, and quick to mention her teammates and coaches because Clark is wise enough and unselfish enough to realize that she wouldn’t be where she is right now as one of the greatest women’s college basketball players of all time without them.
The Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament is sold out for the first time ever, and it doesn’t take an investigation to know why.
Clark is a sports and cultural icon and phenomenon, something never seen before in women’s basketball, and rarely seen in men’s basketball.
She has captivated the nation with her immense skills and with her moxie, so right now all eyes are on the Target Center in Minneapolis where Iowa faces Penn State at approximately 5:30 in Friday’s Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal.
“I think she has transcended our game,” said Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder. “I think people are tuning in because they are like ‘What is the curiosity’ and when they tune in to see us play, they see her marvelous abilities.”
“Then, they realize this is something really fun for me to watch and they start watching more women’s basketball games. So, I believe that Caitlin, the style of play that she has, has elevated the whole of women’s basketball across the United States.”
Bluder has done a masterful job of building around a generational talent, which isn’t as easy as it might seem.
Bluder has allowed Clark to be herself, and to play her game, but within the framework of the Iowa offense.
Of course, it helps that Clark likes to play fast on offense because so does Bluder.
Clark has had the green light, and a shooting range of her choosing from the moment she became, a Hawkeye and now it’s easy to see why.
Instead of putting limits on Clark’s options, Bluder has allowed Clark to test the boundaries since day one.
Clark has since made enough logo threes and scored enough points to where the incredible almost seems ordinary in her case.
“I wouldn’t be who I am if it wasn’t for my coaches and my teammates,” Clark said. “Coach Bluder has really allowed me to thrive ever since I stepped on campus, so I’m really thankful for her, too.”
Clark’s teammates deserve praise for not resenting her greatness, and for pushing egos aside to allow her legend to grow.
Clark also deserves praise for treating her teammates in a way in which they’re willing to sacrifice on her behalf because they like and respect her as a not only a player, but as a friend.
It also helps that Clark is arguably a better passer than shooter, and a willing passer.
Those who just look at how many points Clark scores might assume that she hogs the ball, and that she is constantly hunting for shots.
But that couldn’t be any further from the truth.
If one of her teammates is open, Clark will gladly pass her the ball.
In fact, Clark sometimes makes such incredible passes that her teammates struggle to catch them because they’re just too incredible if that makes sense.
Clark’s passing skills are part what makes her game so appealing to fans across the nation.
As great as Clark is as a player, her legend wouldn’t be nearly as large or as solidified without the team success.
It was the same for former Iowa All-America center Megan Gustafson, who helped pave the way for Clark to be a Hawkeye by leading Iowa the NCAA Elite in 2019.
Statistics go a long way in building a legend, especially in Clark’s case, but team success takes it to the highest level.
Clark hasn’t led Iowa to a national championship, and this postseason will be her last chance to do so since she plans to enter the 2024 WNBA draft.
But to hold that against her seems unfair and misguided because it could be argued that Iowa advancing to the 2023 NCAA championship game for the first time ever was more impressive than if Clark had won a national title playing for a traditional powerhouse.
Part of what makes Clark great as a player is that she makes those around her better.
Clark demands a lot from her teammates, but no more than what she demands from herself.
It has been fascinating to watch her legend grow in a team sport because it takes so many different support roles to make it happen.
There is no place for jealousy or resentment in a team sport because everyone, even Caitlin Clark, has to make sacrifices.
And when sacrifices are made and a team is willing to build around its superstar, the results can be spectacular.