WNBA phenom Caitlin Clark

Proud of the Italian ancestry she inherited from her mother’s side of the family, Caitlin Clark has had a transformative impact on women’s basketball as she heads into only her second season in the WNBA.

The list of professional athletes who have elevated their sports to the next level is a short one. There are those who broke longstanding records and those who earned “G.O.A.T.” (Greatest of All Time) status in some aspect of their game: Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Mario Andretti and Joe DiMaggio being prime examples. For a rare few, their names have become synonymous with the sport itself. What an Indiana Fever rookie superstar did for women’s basketball was so impactful it was dubbed the “Caitlin Clark Effect.”

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Caitlin was an avid sports fan for as long as she can remember. Her father couldn’t find any girls’ sports programs for her to take part in, so he signed her up for boys’ sports teams. Playing basketball in a boys’ recreational league from the age of 5, she also participated in volleyball, soccer, softball, tennis and golf programs during her youth. Caitlin excelled in all of them, setting the stage for an explosive career in competitive play.

Along with the support of her parents, Caitlin credits her mom’s father, Bob Nizzi, a Des Moines football coach, with instilling in her the “need for speed” on the basketball court. Her competitive nature and the discipline of daily practice fostered a lifetime regimen of commitment.

Caitlin entered high school as a respected athlete, playing all four years on the varsity basketball team. Earning many accolades — including Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year, Iowa Miss Basketball and the All-Iowa Player of the Year, she was selected to participate on several All-Star teams and racked up a record 60-point game.

As a freshman at the University of Iowa, Caitlin joined the Hawkeyes as a starting point guard, selecting 22 as her jersey number to reflect her Jan. 22 birthday. Her impressive on-court talents won the admiration of coaches, players and legions of fans alike. She was unanimously selected Big Ten Freshman of the Year, propelled by a record 13 selections as Freshman of the Week, and five as Player of the Week.

By the time Caitlin completed her fourth year of play, she had set so many records and achieved so many personal milestones that the Iowa Hawkeyes retired her No. 22 jersey, only the third to receive the honor in the team’s history. The Associated Press named her one of the greatest players in collegiate women’s basketball history, joining such Italian-American luminaries as collegiate and WNBA great Diana Taurasi.

Entering the NBA as a No. 1 draft pick, Caitlin joining the Indiana Fever for her rookie year, embarking on what will surely be a historic journey of greatness. If her first two seasons are any indication of what’s to come, the impact on the WNBA of the athlete wearing jersey No. 22 for the Fever may one day be compared to the game-changing influence on the NBA of the basketball legend who wore No. 23 for Chicago.

Caitlin has already amassed seven 30-plus-point games among other show-stopping feats and was named WNBA Rookie of the Year. Her head-turning emergence earned her a spot on the All-WNBA First Team, only the fifth rookie in league history to do so.

And the recognition and records keep coming. In December 2024, she was named Athlete of the Year by Time Magazine and Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. In 2025, she won the ESPY for Best WNBA Player in the 2024 season.

Her competitive edge and aggressive play had a downside as she was plagued by injuries from May 2025 through the first months of 2026, causing her to miss several games and tournaments. “Being on the sidelines really taught me a lot,” she says. “I truly became a fan of my teammates because I was able to really watch them instead of playing.”

At just 24 years of age, Caitlin has made an impact not just on women’s basketball, but also on the world of sports in general.

“What Caitlin Clark has done for the WNBA as far as revenue generation for the league, player/team value and additional revenue opportunities for the players will go down as one of the most impactful things ever to happen to any league in any sport,” says legendary NBA coach and current sportscaster Mike Fratello.

Caitlin has remained humble during her 20-year journey to the top, but that humility has been tested by unfortunate run-ins with bad sportsmanship and on-the-court physical attacks.

“The league has become highly competitive, both from the sports side of things and the popularity with the fans aspect,” Caitlin says. “The players in this league are probably as intense, if not a bit more, than in any other era of women’s basketball.”

Going back to the aforementioned “Caitlin Clark Effect,” here are a few of the most notable indicators.

When asked about her Italian background, she sings its praises. “My favorite food is Italian, and I love having the Italian roots from my mother’s side, even though I look more like my English grandmother,” she says.

She credits her Italian-American grandfather — who attends her games regularly — with instilling in her the work ethic that has been instrumental in her career. “I need to ask him, but I think we’re from the North of Italy, with some Sicilian blood, but I am not sure,” she says.

Meanwhile, her older brothers toughened her up against older and bigger competitors. “My two brothers have the dark, curly hair and olive skin,” she shares. “They got the Italian in the family!”

When I ask her where she sees herself in five years, she says, “I have always concerned myself with consistently evolving, both as a player and as a person. Being a positive role model to young players is very important to me.”

She recently authored a children’s book titled, “EXTRAordinary! A Little EXTRA to Reach BIG Dreams,” a picture book that promotes positivity and inspiration. The title came from a message her mother, a marketing executive, left on her daughter’s bedroom mirror.

After her career plays out to the fullest, she hopes to have a family, something else she credits her Italian side with instilling.

Will she settle down with current partner of three years, basketball coach Connor McCaffery? What about after basketball? Will she try for team ownership? Broadcasting? Anything is possible.

“You wouldn’t believe this, but one of my dreams is owning my own Italian restaurant! But I would probably be my biggest customer,” she says.

I feel some EXTRAordinary pizza a pasta coming soon to an arena near you!

The above article appears in the September 2026 issue of the print version of Fra Noi. Our gorgeous, monthly magazine contains a veritable feast of news and views, profiles and features, entertainment and culture.

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