Coco Gauff (Image: Getty)
Coco Gauff shared her heartfelt reaction to Caitlin Clark’s historic jersey retirement, expressing her admiration for the Iowa legend’s achievements.
Gauff, who has frequently praised Clark’s impact on the world of sport, was among the many who celebrated the moment when Clark’s No. 22 jersey was retired at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on February 2, following Iowa’s thrilling 76–69 win over USC.
Clark, who became only the third player in Iowa history to have her jersey retired, was celebrated not only for her record-breaking career but for the legacy she has built at the university. With 3951 career points, Clark is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history and a two-time National Player of the Year.
In response to the post, Gauff left a brief but powerful comment: “Incredible,” accompanied by a heart emoji.
Gauff’s admiration for Clark extends beyond social media interactions. During the 2024 Stuttgart Open, Gauff revealed her own basketball aspirations, admitting that her father, Corey, believed she had WNBA potential. Jokingly adding that she’d love to share the court with Clark “in another life” just to see if she could guard her.
A true-blue icon for Iowa, Clark led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship game appearances in 2023 and 2024. Her exceptional rookie season in the WNBA, where she averaged 19.2 points and a league-leading 8.4 assists per game, earned her the WNBA Rookie of the Year award and a spot on the All-WNBA First Team, a feat not achieved by a rookie since Candace Parker in 2008.
Caitlin Clark (Image: Getty)
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Reactions pour in from Caitlin Clark’s family and teammates
While Gauff’s tribute stood out, Clark’s jersey retirement sparked an outpouring of heartfelt reactions from family, friends, and former teammates. Connor McCaffery, Clark’s boyfriend and the son of Iowa men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery, was among the attendees and shared a heartwarming message on .
He posted a series of photos from the ceremony, including one with Clark, highlighting the special nature of the day. “So happy to be by your side. Love ya,” he wrote.
Clark’s post also drew comments from her inner circle. Former teammate Kate Martin echoed Connor’s sentiment, commenting: “So happy to be by your side. Love ya.” Meanwhile, Connor’s brothers, Jack and Patrick, added their own playful notes. Jack, a high school basketball standout and future Butler player, wrote: “Jacket hard twin.” Patrick chimed in with the humorous remark: “In the land of no chuzz.”
Fran McCaffery, reflecting on Clark’s remarkable journey, spoke about what the occasion meant to her: “It really meant a lot to her and understandably so. It was an opportunity for people from the entire state—and beyond—to appreciate what she’s done,” he said. “Now you can reflect back and start listing her accomplishments, which are incredibly impressive. But just seeing her surrounded by teammates, both past and present, meant the world to her.”
Evidently, Clark’s jersey retirement wasn’t just about her success; it was a testament to the community she’s built, the barriers she’s broken, and the legacy she’s left behind at Iowa.