Caitlin Clark's 2023 On-Court Diss Came Back To Bite Her
Caitlin Clark is undoubtedly one of the best college basketball stars, having broken the record for scoring the most throws early in March while playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Her superstar playing skills have given her a huge fan base and hefty paychecks, but she seemed overly cocky after dismissing an opposing player in 2023. As captured by ESPN, Clark was watching South Carolina Gamecocks team member Raven Johnson attempt to throw the ball from the three-point line, but she didn't bother guarding her. Instead, she waved her off, seemingly indicating that Johnson wasn't worth defending.
The moment went viral and it cut Johnson deeply. "Caitlin's competitive, so I don't blame her for what she did, but it did hurt me. It definitely hurt me bad to the point that I wanted to quit basketball," she admitted, per The Washington Post. However, Johnson used the diss to further her game and shared, "I just feel like it helped me. It made me mentally strong. I feel like if I can handle that, I can handle anything in life." Over the course of the year, the point guard helped the Gamecocks make it to the championship undefeated, where they were set to go against the Hawkeyes, and this time, Johnson was the one to come out a winner.
Raven Johnson got her revenge
It was the perfect rematch for Raven Johnson when her team, the South Carolina Gamecocks, faced off against the Iowa Hawkeyes for the 2024 NCAA championship game. Although Johnson wasn't a high scorer, her strategic defenses impacted Caitlin Clark's scoring from the second quarter on, allowing the Gamecocks to win, ESPN reported. Following the big victory, Johnson yelled, "All I have to say is the revenge tour is over!" The sophomore stated, "I was ready for the moment. I studied her moves, and I was ready. I had confidence this year. I was telling myself, last year was not going to happen again."
Ahead of the championship game, Clark complimented Johnson on her growth, per Greenville News. "I think Raven's had a tremendous year. I think not only from a shooting perspective but as the point guard of a team, as the guard of a team, she's been a true leader. She's led that team," she stated. Clark went on to say, "I think she's shooting over 50 percent in her last five games, has shot it over 40 percent all year. That just speaks to her work ethic. She got in the gym, and she got better, and I admire that. I think that's what makes great players great. And that's exactly what she did." Despite losing, Clark showed that she was a good sport when she only had good things to say about Johnson — and it looks like their mini-feud is over.
Caitlin Clark gave props to Raven Johnson's defense
The NCAA championship was Caitlin Clark's last game for the Iowa Hawkeyes before she progresses to the WNBA. While losing must have been difficult, Clark, who refrains from wearing makeup on the court, praised Raven Johnson and the South Carolina Gamecocks. "I thought she defended well. I thought they all defended well. They pressured the ball well. You get to this point in the tournament, everybody's defense is good. I thought her defense was good," Clark shared, per The Big Spur.
As for Johnson, she admitted that she felt trepidation going against Clark. "I didn't want to see them in a national championship this year because [of] what happened last year. It was an apology to my teammates, my coaches, and myself ... And like I said, revenge, it was a revenge tour. There's no better way than to play them in a championship and beat them," Johnson stated in a press interview shared by CBS Sports. After such an astonishing comeback, we think Johnson is allowed to gloat a bit.