After months of mounting anticipation and speculation, Caitlin Clark finally scored the 3,528th point of her Iowa career on Thursday night — giving her the record for most career points in NCAA women's basketball history.
Ever since Clark broke the record by draining a three-pointer from nearly half-court, many have been showering the superstar with praise — including another NCAA basketball superstar, and one of Clark's biggest rivals.
The moment Caitlin Clark broke the NCAA DI women?s basketball all-time scoring record. ? @IowaWBB | @bigten pic.twitter.com/f2t7ISYjyA
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) February 16, 2024
After Clark broke the scoring record, Angel Reese — LSU basketball standout who went viral last year for her taunting of Clark during the national championship game — made a post on X that wrote, 'Congratulations @CaitlinClark22 KEEP BREAKING RECORDS & MAKING HER STORY! ?-? ?'??"?'
Congratulations @CaitlinClark22 KEEP BREAKING RECORDS & MAKING HER-STORY! ??? https://t.co/jWn7QZZdkQ
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) February 16, 2024
While some might be surprised to see Reese celebrating Clark, the two actually have no bad blood toward one another — despite what last year's national championship game might suggest.
In fact, Reese mentioned in a recent feature on Women's Health that she and Clark have been competing since their high school Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) days, and that the healthy rivalry has upped their respective skillsets.
"I love that we're able to compete and still be cool after, regardless of the outside noise," Angel said. "People even say Magic [Johnson] and Larry Bird, that era [of basketball] and how it was. If that's who we are, then okay, cool....I think we're both happy about what's going on."
Reese wasn't the only celebrity to congratulate Clark. As soon as Clark set the scoring record, Big Ten Network posted a nearly five minute video on X with various sports icons lauding Clark — including the GOAT, Tom Brady.
"I just wanted to say, congratulations on the record," Brady said. "Like the rest of the country, I've been following along while you chased down my girl Kelsey [Plum], but I know she's proud of you too. So we love witnessing greatness here, keep your head down, go finish the job, and I'll be watching. Good luck."
Congrats, Caitlin! ?
It?s not everyday someone breaks the all-time scoring record, so you know we had to go B1G. ? pic.twitter.com/L8s4KQ5PTD
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 16, 2024
Brady is referring to the fact that he and Plum have had multiple well-meaning interactions in person and over social media.
Now that Clark has broken the women's record, all that's left for her to chase — along with a national championship — is the all-time NCAA scoring record regardless of gender, which is currently held by LSU legend Pete Maravich.
Clark finished Thursday night's game with a career-high 49 points, putting her at 3,569 total. Since Maravich's record is 3,667 points, if Clark can maintain her 32.7 points per game average, she'll break the LSU legend's record in four games.
Therefore, more scoring records are in store for Clark very soon.
