Caitlin Clark has never been one to hold back—but her recent appearance on the New Heights podcast with NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce took honesty to a whole new level. In what fans are calling her most candid interview yet, the WNBA phenom opened up about the whirlwind of her rookie year, the weight of being called the future of women’s basketball, and even dared to call out the NBA itself.
From the moment she entered the studio, the energy shifted. The Kelce brothers—known for their humor and charm—were clearly thrilled to have the WNBA Rookie of the Year and TIME’s Athlete of the Year as their first guest of 2025. “You’re kind of like the Wayne Gretzky of basketball right now,” Jason quipped, only half-joking.
Clark laughed off the praise, but her list of accolades is no joke: 62 rookie records, 40 honors in her senior year at Iowa, and a devoted fanbase that spans generations. Yet when asked which award meant the most, Clark didn’t cite MVPs or scoring titles. “Probably Academic All-American,” she said, smiling. “That’s the one my mom was proudest of.”
A Humble Queen With a Bold Voice
Though Clark’s success has been meteoric, her tone remains grounded. She discussed the TIME magazine cover with characteristic humility, noting how special it felt not just for her, but for women’s sports in general. “It’s cool as a woman… they haven’t had many females on the cover,” she said.
But beneath the humility is a fierce mind—and a fearless voice. When the conversation turned to the NBA’s slipping ratings, Clark didn’t hesitate to drop a bombshell: “Honestly, I feel like the average basketball fan doesn’t understand how good NBA players are. People think they’re not trying—but they are. They’re just that good.”
Her critique went deeper. She pointed to the loss of physicality, the absence of real rivalries, and the NBA’s failure to properly market its stars. “Maybe people want more beef, more physicality. People think it’s gone soft.”
The room went silent for a moment. Then Jason and Travis leaned in—and so did the audience.
Reimagining the Game, One Truth Bomb at a Time
Far from just identifying problems, Clark offered ideas—good ones. A four-point line? She’s all in. An East vs. West All-Star Game revival? “That’s what it should be,” she insisted. Even a hockey-style “once-a-game” fight got some air time, courtesy of Travis.
Though laughter filled the studio, the message was serious: sports need innovation, but not gimmicks. Clark rolled her eyes at the NBA’s in-season tournament. “Can we just play basketball?” she said. “I’m getting a migraine looking at the neon green courts.”
It was a roast—but it came from a place of deep love for the game.
The Rookie Year That Changed Everything
Clark didn’t shy away from the challenges of her WNBA debut. She recalled the awkward dance of trying to find her place on a new team while already being cast as its savior. “People are turning to you to be something or be someone,” she said. “But you’re still just trying to figure it all out.”
Luckily, veterans like Aaliyah Boston and Erica Wheeler had her back. Their support, Clark said, made all the difference. “That kind of leadership—it’s priceless.”
She even revealed a surprising injury early in the season: a ruptured eardrum during a game, which she brushed off with typical Midwestern grit.
From Chiefs Fangirl to Basketball Icon
In one of the interview’s lighter moments, Clark revealed her lifelong devotion to the Kansas City Chiefs. “People think I’m a bandwagon fan,” she laughed. “But I was there before Patrick and Travis.”
That comment alone, paired with her glowing nostalgia for Arrowhead Stadium, had Travis Kelsey beaming. And when she asked for playoff tickets, his response was instant: “You’re invited to them all.”
Looking Back, Looking Forward
At just 22, Clark already speaks with the wisdom of a seasoned veteran. She reminisced about her first college recruiting letter—in seventh grade—and praised her parents for protecting her childhood from the pressures of early fame.
“They told my older brother to get the mail so I wouldn’t see it,” she said with a laugh. “They just wanted me to enjoy middle school.”
Looking ahead, she’s thinking beyond basketball. A marketing major, Clark envisions working in a front office someday, managing free agency or building sports brands. “Not coaching,” she clarified, “but I’d love the operations side of it.”
A Symbol of Change in Every Arena
More than just a star athlete, Caitlin Clark is a cultural force—reshaping the narrative of women’s sports, speaking truth to power, and doing it all with style, smarts, and grace.
Her appearance on New Heights wasn’t just entertaining. It was a manifesto for where sports—women’s and men’s—need to go next.
In a world often obsessed with filters, Clark is refreshing, real, and ready for whatever comes next. And judging by the Kelce brothers’ stunned faces, she’s only just begun to shake things up.
