Iowa's Caitlin Clark: Going to Treat 2023-24 Season 'Like This Is My Last Year'

Iowa star guard Caitlin Clark has a year of collegiate eligibility remaining after the upcoming 2023-24 season, but she could be eyeing a jump to the professional level sooner rather than later.

Clark told reporters on Wednesday that she plans to "treat this year like this is my last year."

"I'm gonna go based off of my gut," Clark explained. "At the end of the day, I think that's the biggest thing that I actually trust. I'm gonna know when I need to know if I want to stay or if I want to go."

Clark is back for her senior season after leading the Hawkeyes to their first national championship game in program history, where they fell to LSU. The offensive dynamo averaged 27.8 points, 8.6 assists and 7.1 rebounds last season.

While Clark is undoubtedly in the conversation for the No. 1 pick in next year's WNBA draft, she said she's not looking ahead beyond her upcoming campaign with Iowa.

"It's really not something that I think about every single day. It's not something I let weigh on me," she said. "I'm focused on helping this team be the team [it] can be and when I know that decision, all of you will know."

Clark compared the decision-making process to how she felt while she was being recruited out of high school. She trusted her gut back then, and it landed her in a perfect situation. She hopes that same intuition will help her figure out her next step after this season.

"That was the most telling thing for me in my recruiting process. I knew that there were a lot of really good options but in my heart, I wanted to be here and that's why I selected this place," she said. "I think it's gonna be the same when I make the decision to stay here or leave."

Clark and the Hawkeyes will open their season on Nov. 6 against Fairleigh Dickinson.