Concluding her college basketball career with an 87-75 loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks, Caitlin Clark had a fantastic 4-year career at Iowa. Her record-breaking performance for the last two seasons transformed her into the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer and a generational player. At Iowa, Clark was a part of the close-knit Hawkeyes team who shared and cared for each other. This bond was easy to spot by Clark’s affection as she waited for her former teammate, Kate Martin’s WNBA draft selection after being drafted as the No. 1 pick by Indiana Fever.

Ever since the event, Clark hasn’t been able to get a breather and was hopping between Indianapolis and her hometown. However, this schedule got even more wound up with Clark’s graduation clashing with her WNBA regular season debut. As a result, Clark couldn’t make it to her college graduation ceremony. Bummer! Clark has had a lot on her plate to deal with. So, what did her teammates do? They brought the graduation to Clark. This act of love and support has made fans shed tears of joy as they can’t get enough of this blessed moment.

Fans get emotional as the Fever protects their rookie

Needless to say, the welcome Clark received when she arrived at her new home. It was truly a sports red carpet with the Fever and the Pacers lined up to welcome Clark as their new teammate. Continuing their affectionate gestures, the team surprised Clark with her ‘Certificate of Graduation’.

USA Today via Reuters

The moment was shared by the Indiana Fever on X with the caption, “Caitlin Clark was unable to attend her @uiowa graduation yesterday so the team surprised her with a “Certificate of Graduation” before training camp today.” The video showcases Clark walking past her team lined up with Aliyah Edwards standing on the other end with Clark’s graduation certificate in her hands.

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The post has gathered several heart-melting responses from fans, with one of them saying, “These women are going to protect their rookie. It’s beautiful to see.” A similar comment was dropped under the post that said, “Marie and I are loving the way these players root for each other. #Fever love.”

Another fan wrote an empowering comment indicating Clark’s dedication to making an impactful WNBA debut, saying, “That just tell me she’s dead serious bout this season to skip graduation to get ready for opening night.”

“I love that Aliyah Boston was the one to present her with it. Cool stuff They will unite Iowa and South Carolina fans,” wrote a fan rooting for the Iowa and South Carolina fans, just like the former Gamecock, Aliyah Edwards is supporting Clark, a former Hawkeye.

Speaking of empowerment, some beautiful words were written in the comments that go, “Team: People you can count on for life.”

While a couple of followers ranted about why Clark chose a training session or a team meal over her graduation ceremony, a fan pressed upon the Fever’s hectic schedule for this season saying, “Did you all see the upcoming regular season schedule for the Indiana Fever? It’s madness the amount of games they have to play within a period of time and it is absolutely ridiculous that there wouldn’t be enough time for recuperation in between such a hectic schedule.”

Meanwhile, a fan pointed out the mental health concerns of these players due to a jam-packed schedule. She writes, “I really hope with the league’s progression, we can get these timelines figured out. Everything is too close together. As a fan, I am afraid how this could affect the player’s mental health as they transition to this new phase in their life.”

It is known that this season will be following a unique schedule due to the Summer Olympic Games to be held in between. Moreover, the teams will be playing 40 games from May 14, i.e. tomorrow, to September 19th. The Summer Olympics will hence lead the season to a month-long break from July 21st to August 14th. During this break, the WNBA athletes will represent their respective countries in the Olympic tournament to be held in Paris.

This brings us to our next standout reaction from a fan who wrote, “Next stop. Olympics… let’s go.” 

Moments like these are wholesome and evident, bringing everyone together. Moreover, it gives them a connection to the star athlete’s life as she is about to embark on her professional journey.