Caitlin Clark has come a long way! And when we say that, we don’t just mean the records. We’re talking about her personality and the attitude shift from being a bit of an immature, ego-driven kid to becoming the composed yet fiery leader we know today. Undoubtedly, growth has been her biggest flex. But what was CC really like in her early days? Iowa head coach Jan Jensen spilled the tea.

“She was acting in a way that didn’t just support what she was thinking because her actions could make you feel small,” Jensen revealed. But who could blame her? Caitlin was that talented. The kind of talent that earned her a Division I scholarship offer before she even hit high school. 

According to Jensen, she’d throw her arms or do things that made teammates think, ‘Oh, she doesn’t like me. “We told her, ‘Caitlin, if you want to win, you’re going to have to change this. It’s not golf—you need the other four,” the coach shared. 

To make her understand, they would show her “some film individually of her mannerisms.” The then-head coach, Lisa Bluder, and Jensen, the associate coach, confronted Clark and advised her to change for the better.

And Clark listened. Slowly but surely, she started to realize that her greatness on the court wasn’t enough. “When she began to understand that we all have to give and change, that’s when it really began to happen,” Jensen added during an interview with Chris Mailander.

The shift wasn’t overnight, but when it clicked, it did click. Jense shared that the guards started shooting from 40 feet, making impossible passes, and working harder than anyone. “Then it started to go a lot smoother, and that’s where the story really began, and that’s when our team started the sail,” she said.

What came next for the program was no less than magic. By her freshman year at Iowa, Caitlin was already a star. She led NCAA Division I in scoring and ranking second in assists and three-pointers. By her sophomore year, she became the fastest Big Ten player to reach 1,000 career points.

Her junior year was as legendary. She tied the record for the fastest Division I women’s player to hit 2,000 career points since 2000 and led Iowa to back-to-back Big Ten tournament championships. Although they lost the championship game to the Lady Tigers, the season was a great one for them.

Then came her senior year, after which she transitioned to the pros as the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. But it wasn’t just about the accolades. CC evolved as a leader. Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder summed it up perfectly earlier this year, saying, “Before, it was all fire and no love. Now, she understands you can give fire if you’ve invested in the love part.” 

Caitlin herself admitted, “My teammates ride my emotions, whether positive or negative. That’s something I’ve had to learn.” Off the court, Caitlin was the heart of her team. From arranging team lunches to including her teammates in her WNBA Draft celebration, she made sure everyone felt valued. “She was a great teammate. It was the way she incorporated everyone,” Bluder said. She carried the same spirit to the WNBA. 

Caitlin Clark: Still fiery, but the team comes first

Caitlin Clark’s competitive fire is what makes her Caitlin. She’s got the trash talk, the swagger, and the occasional temper. You must remember that technical foul in her initial match for slamming the stanchion. Classic Caitlin. But now, unlike her teenage days, her fire never burns her team.

We saw that during Fever guard Lexie Hull’s career-high 22-point game. Clark was more hyped for her teammate than for breaking the rookie assist record herself. “She’s really a kid at heart,” said teammate Erica Wheeler. “The outside world doesn’t see it, but she never takes herself too seriously.”

Her egoistic days are over, and now the 2024 ROTY, unlike her teenage days, knows there’s a fine line between confidence and overreaction. As she said while she was leading Iowa earlier this year, “I get mad. I have reactions I don’t always love in the heat of battle.”

“But I’m going to give you every part of me. I want young girls to know you can play with joy and passion,” she added. All in all, at the end of the day, Caitlin Clark is unapologetically herself. As long as her trash talk doesn’t harm anyone, we’re here for every second of it. Because honestly, we love it.