How Caitlin Clark is inspiring the next generation of stars, growing the game in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark's impact on high school girls basketball is being felt across the state. And while it's not necessarily a new phenomenon — she's been a source of inspiration for many athletes throughout her career — there's no doubt Clark's status as a member of the Indiana Fever will only further her impact.

As the former Iowa Hawkeye prepares for her WNBA rookie season, IndyStar spoke with some current high school players, coaches and trainers about Clark's influence and the impact she's had on their careers, as well as the role she and her predecessors have had in growing the game.

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'She makes basketball fun to watch'

Addi Baxter watches Caitlin Clark clips before every game.

Every single game.

It's become a superstitious ritual for the Junior All-Star from Columbia City, who's been admiring the superstar since her mom told her about an Iowa freshman who scored 35 points in back-to-back games.

"I study her," said Baxter, a Butler commit. "If I have an off-game, I'll watch her (afterwards, too) and see what things she does well that help her create for not only herself, but for her teammates."

Asked what stands out when she watches Clark, Baxter pointed to her passing prowess and how she handles pressure. "She plays against the best of the best defenders every single game, and she keeps her head, keeps calm. She doesn't try to do too much."

During her recruitment, IU commit Maya Makalusky studied standout players within various conferences, examining how they played and the systems they ran, and noting any similarities to her game.

A career 41% 3-point shooter with over 1,300 points to her name, the 6-4 Hamilton Southeastern junior was drawn to Clark almost immediately.

"She's really good off drag screens and shoots the 3 really well — freakishly well — so after watching her and seeing the things she was already achieving by her sophomore year, I was like, I have to keep following her,” Makalusky said.

"(Clark) makes basketball fun to watch," she continued, "not only because of her 3-point shooting and the 40 points per game, but the way she acts on the court, her IQ, the confidence she has and the way she can make any player around her better."

That confidence and ability to raise the level of her teammates is a source of inspiration for Eastern Hancock freshman Kenzie Koch, who will be stepping into a more prominent leadership role with the regional champion Royals next season.

For her part, Koch admires Clark's ability to make plays with just a ball screen at the top, be it a shot, pass down to the big or a kick out to the corner. "I need to get better at creating plays, so I'm trying to mimic the way (Clark) can move the ball with so much confidence," Koch said.

Alonna Divine — who has been following Clark on the AAU circuit since "before she was Caitlin Clark" — draws inspiration from the intangible byproducts of Clark's confidence and determination.

"She never really breaks character," the Ben Davis sophomore said. "It hasn't been easy (for me to reach that point). It's definitely something that happens over time, but with the right support system and mindset, you can achieve it."

'The impact she's had … it's a huge change'

Natalie Morse once told her dad she wanted to play for the IU men's team when she grew up. "That's all we saw, you know? And if I played, it was usually with boys in the driveway," said Morse, now program director for Indiana Girls Basketball (IGB). "There were very few girls who wanted to do it."

There were rising stars involved at the college level like Diana Taurasi, who dominated at UConn in the early 2000s, Morse later added, but limited television exposure and media coverage made it difficult to see her. "You didn't get to picture yourself in that place very often."

That's why Clark's meteoric rise has been so important. She's captured the nation's attention and has helped make women's basketball more accessible to the masses at a time when the sport's starpower is at an all-time high. There's seldom a training session when a girl isn't wearing a Clark (or Paige Bueckers) shirt, Morse said. They may not be imitating her moves, but they're inspired by the way she plays.

Clark gives youngsters something to aspire toward; a reason to dream big.

"The impact she has had on not just women's basketball, but basketball period — it's a huge change," said Lapel sophomore Laniah Wills, a 6-0 wing with Division I aspirations herself. "Little girls seeing her everywhere, it's encouraging them to play basketball and be just like her."

It's too early to fully quantify the Clark effect on the growth of girls basketball, but anecdotal indications are beginning to emerge.

Morse said they struggled to have more than 3-4 middle school girls at training sessions during the "offseason" (January to March). But there was a significant uptick earlier this year, with more and more parents reaching out about having their daughters try basketball. The program currently has upwards of 500-550 girls per year through their program, be it a summer camp or training.

"That's all we want is for them to try it, even if they don't stick with it," said Fishers coach Lauren Votaw, whose mom and aunts were among "the pioneers" for school-based girls sports. "It gives them something to look forward to, something to be excited about. It's a good thing we're at this place right now with women's sports."

'It's so uplifting and has me excited for the future'

Former Zionsville star Maddie Nolan — who played against Clark for four seasons at Michigan and this past season at Colorado — recalled a recent conversation with her mom during an upcoming episode of IndyStar's podcast The Scorers Table.

Kris (Veatch) played at New Mexico State in the 1980s and was excited to get a pair of socks and a practice uniform, Nolan said. "Now we're in the age of NIL and Caitlin recently signed a multi-million dollar shoe deal with Nike. People like my mom and (other past players) have really paved the way for us."

Clark may be the face of the ongoing women's basketball revolution, but the high schoolers interviewed for this story were all quick to credit past players and included other current stars among their favorites.

Divine's entry to Clark was actually through UConn's Paige Bueckers. The Ben Davis standout followed her closely during high school, and discovered Clark when their AAU teams went head-to-head. Needless to say, she was an instant fan. "They were girls I looked up to, so I would watch their games before my games and try to do things I saw them do," Divine said.

Nolan has watched as Zionsville youngsters' interest in women's basketball has expanded beyond her and fellow alums Rachel McLimore (IUPUI/Butler) and Delaney Richason (Vermont), because they're watching more games and following teams like defending national champion South Carolina.

At Fishers, Votaw said boys were talking with her about the women's basketball tournament, while at Columbia City, Baxter cited a significant uptick in student attendance for their games, something that's been lacking over the past few seasons.

Pike freshman Korinne Nickolson — whose dad renewed his Fever season tickets by happenstance three days before the WNBA draft lottery — felt the excitement among her friends and other students for both college hoops and their school team, with her teachers expressing excitement about learning more about the game.

"It's amazing and it's the best feeling possible, because they're opening doors for players like me and players around the world, showing us that we can do the same thing," Makalusky said. "It's been motivating and proves people do care about women's sports and women's athletes. It's so uplifting and has me excited for the future."

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How Caitlin Clark is growing girls basketball in Indiana