Caitlin Clark displayed her exceptional talent in her college days at Iowa, which forced hoop enthusiasts from every corner to tune in to witness her brilliance on the hardwood.

Her outstanding contribution to basketball made people go gaga over her, and she became an inspiration for the younger generation.

Caitlin Clark be(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

As she entered the bigger pond, the WNBA with the Indiana Fever, her craze grew even further. In her preseason debut game against Dallas, a young girl holding a placard was seen delivering the message “When I grow up I wanna be like her”, Caitlin Clark was written at the bottom along with a heart. The picture soon surfaced on the internet, and it was a moment of pride for the budding star.

After winning the AAU Sullivan Award a couple of days ago, Clark said, “I have been inspired by so many athletes that came before me and I hope I can be that same inspiration for the next generation to follow their dreams.”

On Friday night’s game, all eyes were on Clark who scored 21 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals for the Fever, but that wasn’t enough to save the franchise from losing 79-76, to which the 6-footer had an unexpected reaction.

Caitlin Clark reacts to debut loss

The result might not have been as competitive as Clark’s expectations, but her debut was. In a post-game interview, Clark told ESPN, “I thought we played really hard. Just a great atmosphere for women’s basketball.” She further added, “I think it’s a good kickoff to the WNBA season.”

While expressing satisfaction with certain aspects of Friday’s game, the 22-year-old mentioned that they could have executed their offensive side in a better way but the night overall went as she had anticipated.

Despite the preseason loss, the guard showcased an outstanding debut. The Fever will face the Connecticut Sun as their regular season kicks off on May 14, which will test Caitlin Clark’s abilities to smash records and climb the staircase of excellence in the pro league.