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Caitlin Clark is now the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer. What’s next for her?

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates during Senior Day ceremonies following a victory over Ohio State in a game, Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates during Senior Day ceremonies following a victory over Ohio State in a game, Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. | Cliff Jette

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark broke the NCAA Division I all-time scoring record on Sunday, becoming the all-time leading scorer for both men’s and women’s basketball.

Clark tied and then broke the record with a pair of free throws, surpassing LSU’s Pete Maravich’s 3,667 points. Her total from Sunday’s game now puts her at 3,685 points.

The Utah connection to Caitlin Clark’s NCAA all-time scoring record

The record was set by Maravich in 1970. Maravich went on after college to the NBA and played for the New Orleans Jazz and then the Utah Jazz when the team moved to Salt Lake City.

“Pistol Pete,” as Maravich is commonly called, played 17 games in Utah in 1979 before he was waived and then retired later that season, according to Basketball-Reference.

Why do some people not consider Caitlin Clark the true NCAA all-time scoring leader?

Critics claim Clark is not the true NCAA Division I leader because 1,527 of her 3,685 points come from 3-pointers. When Maravich was playing at LSU, basketball didn’t have 3-pointers. The NCAA didn’t adopt the 3-point line until 1986, six years after Maravich retired from basketball, according to Sports Illustrated.

Maravich also accomplished the feat in only three seasons (83 games) because the NCAA prohibited freshmen from playing, according to The Athletic. Clark has played in 130 games for Iowa over the course of four seasons.

What’s next for Caitlin Clark?

Clark and Iowa’s other seniors were honored on Sunday for senior night, which marked Clark’s last game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. She still has the Big 10 tournament and March Madness left in her time at Iowa.

On Thursday, Clark announced she would forgo her COVID-19 eligibility for a fifth and final season to enter the 2024 WNBA draft, as the Deseret News previously reported. She is the presumptive No. 1 overall pick.

The Indiana Fever will pick first and were quick to react on social media to Clark’s announcement, all but confirming she’d be their selection with the first pick.

The Fever were quick to remind the world that they have the No. 1 pick and to promote season ticket sales following Clark’s announcement with a handful of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Clark’s economic impact has already affected the WNBA. The average ticket price for Fever games increased from last season’s price of $60 to $140 within 24 hours of Clark announcing her decision to turn professional, according to Vivid Seats.

Here’s how social media reacted to Caitlin Clark breaking the NCAA record

Celebrities descended on Iowa City to watch Clark make history, including rapper Travis Scott, former WNBA star Maya Moore and retired Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan.

Here’s a sample of how the world reacted to her latest achievement on social media: