Caitlin Clark, a 23-year-old player in the WNBA, has been making waves since before she was recruited to play at the college level for the University of Iowa. When she was a high school sophomore, ESPN named Clark the top player in the 2020 class. In 2024, she concluded her college basketball career by setting a new scoring record in NCAA Division I competition for men or women. She went on to be the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft and won Rookie of the Year as a guard for the Indiana Fever. Her athletic prowess attracted many new fans to women's basketball.
But fame also exposed her to the rumor mill, especially after it was reported that she would not join the U.S. women's basketball team for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Conflicting schedules made it impossible for her to train with the Olympic team. This led to her exclusion, which many saw as a snub and favoritism toward Brittney Griner of the Atlanta Dream.
The alleged rivalry between the two players was never confirmed, but it and another purported rivalry with WNBA star Angel Reese helped place Clark at the center of many rumors, most of them false.
Snopes has compiled 11 rumors we've addressed about Clark since her time in college:
