It will surely be a special moment for WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark who saw Maya Moore as one of her idols while growing up with WNBA dream.

Caitlin Clark recently shared her thoughts on being a part of the memorable game.

It’s important to note that Moore won the Rookie of the Year award in her debut season in 2011 and now Clark finds herself in the same race as she fights for the ROTY honour this year. While Clark has averaged 17.8 points per game in her debut season until now, the former Lynx star had an average of 13.2 points in her rookie season.

The bond between these two players is undeniable as it was just a few months ago when Maya Moore surprised Caitlin Clark before her NCAA final. The legend appeared during an interview with ESPN’s Elle Duncan and the unexpected moment brought an ecstatic scream from Clark, showcasing the deep admiration she holds for the former Lynx star. Well, Clark also believes that Moore has done so much for the league. That’s true, but what happened that she took retirement at an early age? Let’s recall Moore’s retirement.

Maya Moore’s early retirement

The Minnesota Lynx star stepped away from the WNBA in 2019 to focus on freeing her now-husband, Jonathan Irons, from prison, successfully overturning his 50-year sentence in 2020. After his release, Moore and Irons married and welcomed their first child, Jonathan Jr. While the legend got busy with her family, she did wait for few years before finally clarifying her future in basketball.

“Over the last year, it finally felt right to just close the chapter. Talk about it in a celebratory way. … I’m excited to able to give the clarity to the basketball world,” Moore announced her retirement in 2023. Irrespective of an early retirement, Moore stands as one of the greatest legends in women’s basketball as not only she had two Naismith College Player of the Year awards and a national championship from UConn, she also went on to earn the 2014 WNBA MVP and secured four WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx.

When Moore left basketball, she also launched a social action campaign called “Win With Justice” as she started practicing advocacy.

Stay tuned for more such updates. Join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show.” Our host, BG12, sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.