Caitlin Clark’s remarkable journey to becoming one of the biggest stars in women’s basketball started long before she made her mark in the WNBA. In a recent teaser for her upcoming appearance on the New Heights podcast, hosted by NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce, Clark shared a revealing anecdote about her early college recruitment. She recalled receiving her first college recruitment letter when she was just in seventh grade—a time when most kids her age were focused on middle school life.
In the podcast clip, Travis Kelce asked Clark about the letter, and she candidly responded, calling the situation “honestly sad,” emphasizing how intense the college recruitment process had become. Clark also reflected on the toll such early attention can take on young athletes, as college coaches begin targeting talent at younger and younger ages. While many athletes would be eager to receive such recognition, Clark’s parents took a different approach. To shield her from the pressures that came with such attention, they took proactive steps to keep her grounded during her middle school years.
Clark shared that her parents were particularly protective, telling her older brother to collect the mail so that Caitlin wouldn’t see the recruitment letters. Their priority was to ensure that she could enjoy her childhood, friends, and school life without the overwhelming stress of college decisions hanging over her head. “They wanted me to be in seventh grade and like enjoy middle school,” she explained, highlighting how essential it was for her to focus on normal childhood experiences rather than worrying about her future college career at such a young age.
Although Clark’s parents played an instrumental role in keeping her grounded, Caitlin herself was also determined not to let early recruiting distract her from what mattered most—her love for basketball. She mentioned that she didn’t visit colleges until after her freshman year of high school and didn’t settle on a college until her senior year. Throughout this time, Clark was laser-focused on her skills on the court, even competing with high school athletes while still in middle school.
The teaser for this New Heights episode has already created excitement, and fans of Clark and the Kelce brothers alike can look forward to hearing more of her stories and insights when the full episode drops on Thursday. As one of the brightest stars in women’s basketball today, Caitlin Clark continues to inspire not only for her skill on the court but for her grounded approach to fame and success off it.
