Caitlin Clark, Maya Moore connect in 'full-circle moment' for both during emotional College GameDay meeting

Today, Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark is inspiring plenty of young players around the country. However, when she was a young player herself, she looked up to and found an idol in the legendary Maya Moore.

Clark and Moore connected during a segment on College GameDay, which became a full circle moment for Moore, remembering her own childhood. For both of them, it was an emotional moment to share together.

You can watch Caitlin Clark get surprised by her idol, Maya Moore, on College GameDay, here:

Caitlin Clark met her idol Maya Moore ❤️ pic.twitter.com/kqz9p9RZY8

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) March 3, 2024

“Full circle moment,” Maya Moore said. “I remember being 10-year-old Maya going up and hugging Cynthia Cooper or one of the legends, and just to see that we’re still continuing to still be connected, be inspired by each other, be family, right? I just love the connection.”

At that point, Caitlin Clark chimed in and shared her story about meeting Maya Moore when she was playing in the WNBA for the Minnesota Lynx.

“All I’ve ever wanted to do was meet her. My dad didn’t have his phone so I just ran over, like, ‘Can you sign my shirt?’ She signed my shirt. Gave her a huge. Ran away,” Clark said. “It’s like the most vivid memory I have of women’s basketball growing up, and I still tell everybody that story because it meant so much to me. So cool.”

Admittedly, Moore doesn’t remember that moment as vividly as Clark does. However, she does see it as a very cool moment to see the impact she had on an athlete who is now having her own impact on the next generation.

“So sweet. I can’t say that I honestly remember that moment…but it is so cool to see just little seeds like that of how we treat each other, how we enjoy each other, how we see each other, and what that means. And now she’s grown up and look at her. It’s so cool. I’m just so proud.”

Rebecca Lobo highlights Caitlin Clark’s magical impact on women’s basketball ticket sales

One thing that’s become clear is that wherever Caitlin Clark goes, ticket sales follow. It’s a phenomenon that Rebecca Lobo highlighted on College GameDay.

“It’s been pretty incredible to see the magic that she’s been able to make throughout the course of her career. I’m looking at one of the impacts that she has had simply on ticket sales. This is a young woman who has been a singular ticket-selling force since she entered the college realm, and what does that look like on the regular season? Average price of $130 for a ticket to an Iowa game. Today? $433, according to Vivid Seats,” Lobo said.

“That’s already translated to what she’s going to do at the next level. A season ago, an Indiana Fever ticket sold for $60. It’s more than doubled. And now, it’s going to keep rising.”