“She was my person.” Caitlin Clark didn’t hold back her inner fangirl as her entire pregame press conference focused on her admiration for Maya Moore. Adding to her excitement was the Minnesota Lynx family retiring Moore’s jersey that night.
Clark, who has been a fan of the Lynx legend since childhood, often speaks about her connection to the Lynx GOAT.
While many already believe that Clark, too, will achieve great things, she pointed out one aspect of her game that she feels will keep her from reaching Moore’s level.
It’s safe to say that Caitlin Clark was probably more excited than anyone to have Maya Moore in the building as the Fever faced off against Minnesota.
To emphasize this, she wore a Moore t-shirt during warmups. Even during the pregame press conference, her enthusiasm was palpable.
When one of the reporters asked what drew her to Moore’s game, the Iowa sensation responded, “I think, honestly, obviously her offensive side—that’s pretty simple. But also, she was a very good defender. She just had a very complete game.”
Laughing, she added, “Obviously, I don’t think I have the defensive mindset of Maya; I don’t really have that.” While Clark acknowledges she has room to grow defensively, she certainly understands where her weaknesses lie.
Maya Moore (Photo: Getty Images)
Despite this, she played a key role in keeping her team competitive, even though many of Indiana’s shots didn’t fall. Caitlin Clark didn’t just talk about Moore that night; she also made a special gesture for her hero.
Back in Iowa, the Lynx Hall of Famer had visited the Hawkeye superstar. At that moment, all Caitlin Clark could do was scream as she watched Maya Moore walk towards her.
Now, as a Fever rookie, Clark had the opportunity to express her admiration during the jersey retirement ceremony. Surrounded by Moore’s teammates, Cheryl Reeve, Napheesa Collier, and others, Clark got the chance to confess her love for her idol.
In a video tribute, Clark said, “She definitely inspired a lot of people. I was just one of the girls in those packed arenas.” She continued, reflecting on how much Moore had influenced her.
In return, Moore spoke about Clark, saying, “Most times, if a young person caught my eye, I would try to interact with them if I could. It’s just really, really cool to think that one of those little girls became Caitlin Clark.”
According to Clark, she once hugged Moore after one of her games when she was a kid, a moment she considers pivotal in her career. It must have been incredibly special for Clark to have Moore on the bench as she herself reached the 500-point milestone in her WNBA career in just 29 games.
Although the Fever didn’t secure the win, they certainly have the motivation to improve in their next game against the Atlanta Dream.
