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Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is inspiring a younger generation of players

Shay Ijiwoye, who played basketball at Desert Vista High in Phoenix and has committed to Stanford University, works out Monday, March 18, 2024, in Chandler, Ariz. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark has reshaped women's college basketball and the perception of it. Up-and-coming players have taken notice, working to extend their range to be like her. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Shay Ijiwoye, who played basketball at Desert Vista High in Phoenix and has committed to Stanford University, works out Monday, March 18, 2024, in Chandler, Ariz. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark has reshaped women's college basketball and the perception of it. Up-and-coming players have taken notice, working to extend their range to be like her. (AP Photo/Matt York) Shay Ijiwoye, who played basketball at Desert Vista High in Phoenix and has committed to Stanford University, works out Monday, March 18, 2024, in Chandler, Ariz. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark has reshaped women's college basketball and the perception of it. Up-and-coming players have taken notice, working to extend their range to be like her. (AP Photo/Matt York)

By JOHN MARSHALL / AP Basketball Writer 6 min read

CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) — Caitlin Clark makes pulling up from the midcourt logo look easy, routinely hitting shots most players would consider a heave.

The Iowa star’s deep range has expanded the scope of possibilities for up-and-coming women’s basketball players, much the way NBA star Stephen Curry changed the men’s game more than a decade ago.

“Guys will say the game is not as fun to watch, but Caitlin Clark is fun to watch,” said Shay Ijiwoye, one of Arizona’s top high school players and a Stanford commit. “I think she’s inspiring a lot of young kids my age, older, younger, that you can have that confidence and do it just as well as any guy could.”

Clark’s ability to shoot 3-pointers from midcourt logos at arenas across the country has changed the sport and the perception of it.

The 6-foot senior from West Des Moines became Division I’s all-time leading scorer this season — a 3-pointer clinched it — a first-team All-American and has filled up the record book during one of the best careers in women’s college basketball history.