The True Story Of Caitlin Clark's Romance With Connor McCaffery

Remember how Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan's basketball-loving characters fell head over heels for each other in the turn of the century rom-com "Love & Basketball"? Well, in a case of life imitating art, the worlds of the NBA and WNBA have collided romantically on several occasions.

Indeed, among the real-life basketball love stories are former Denver Nugget Jordan Hamilton and New York Liberty's Betnijah Laney, Team USA gold medalist Napheesa Collier and skills coach Alex Bazzell, and NBA G-League player Devin Cannady and Indiana Fever's Katie Lou Samuelson. In 2023, basketball phenom Caitlin Clark and her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery — both of whom played for the University of Iowa's Hawkeyes before leaving for bigger and better things — joined this exclusive club.

So what do we know about this latest sporting power couple? From platonic beginnings and Instagram declarations to on-court rivalries and political persuasions, here's a look at the pair who appears to be defining the term "basketball relationship goals."

It doesn't appear as though the relationship between Caitlin Clark — who entered the University of Iowa in 2020 — and Connor McCaffery — who played on Iowa's men's basketball team since 2017 — was a case of love at first sight. In fact, the sporting pair shared the same circles for a while before finally recognizing that they had each already found the one.

The couple first started hanging out due to family ties: Clark first became pals with Connor's younger brother, Patrick McCaffery, who also played on the Hawkeyes basketball team before transferring to the Butler University Bulldogs in 2024. Plus, she appeared on the brothers' joint-podcast, "T'd Up with Connor and Patrick," in 2022 to discuss Iowa sports.

"We were always friends," Connor explained to the Times Union about how things between him and Clark progressed from platonic to romantic. "Our teams hung out together. We had good relationships with the women's team and we just eventually started hanging out. Really, at first, it was no different than it had ever been. It was just kind of easy how it all worked out, you know."

They say opposites attract and all that, but Caitlin Clark and Connor McCaffery appear to have more things in common than not. They both attended the University of Iowa for one thing, with the former graduating in 2024 after a record-breaking four-year spell with the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the latter the year previously.

They also both have sports in their blood. Caitlin's father, Brent Clark, was a college basketball player, while her maternal grandfather, Bob Nizzi, was the football coach at West Des Moines' Dowling Catholic High School. Connor's dad, Fran McCaffery, also serves as the head coach of the University of Iowa's men's basketball team, while mother Margaret McCaffery was a star player for the University of Notre Dame.

In slightly more trivial matters, the couple also both appear to be fans of Taylor Swift. Caitlin has cited the "Speak Now" album track "Enchanted" as her favorite song of all time, while Connor certainly seemed familiar with the superstar's oeuvre when he wished his girlfriend a happy 22nd birthday on Instagram. "Wish I was there to celebrate with you — you deserve the best day. Golden Bday/T Swift year will be the best yet," Connor wrote, referencing Swift's hit single, "22." Caitlin, however, seemed unconvinced, responding, "... Acting like u a T Swift fan though is crazy, but I will let this slide hehe." It seems he has at least caught on to some Swiftie lingo through Caitlin.

The spring of 2023 proved to be a life-changing one for Connor McCaffery. Not only did he graduate from the University of Iowa before landing a team assistant role with the Indiana Pacers of the NBA, he also made things official with girlfriend Caitlin Clark.

Indeed, shortly before finishing his degrees in finance and political science, McCaffery started dating his fellow Iowa Hawkeye. But the pair kept their burgeoning relationship under wraps for a good four months before making things public on Instagram.

It was Clark who let the cat out of the bag, posting a carousel of loved-up images of the pair enjoying some quality time together on a boat. And she let the pictures do most of the talking, choosing to caption them with just four words: "Best end to summer." The response from her followers was mostly encouraging. Referring to McCaffery's attire, one commenter wrote, "Anyone who watches 'Ted Lasso' and wears an AFC Richmond sweater is a good man in my book!"

Although Caitlin Clark and Connor McCaffery haven't said much to the press about their relationship, they're more than happy to wax lyrical about each other on social media. Indeed, their respective Instagram accounts are filled with gushing tributes, including the birthday messages they posted online in 2024.

"With all that you've already accomplished, there is so much more in store for you and your special self," McCaffery wrote as his girlfriend turned 22. "I admire you in every way and I love you." Proving that she can be just as romantic in her way with words, Clark commemorated her boyfriend's 26th birthday with the message, "Celebrating you is easy ... Thankful to have someone as selfless and as loving as you in my life."

Following the 2024 WNBA Draft, in which Clark was the No. 1 overall pick by the Indiana Fever, she posted an Instagram Story (via Page Six) featuring physical black and white photos the couple took together while out celebrating her major achievement. "my fav person in the world," Clark wrote, accompanied by a black heart emoji.

In February 2024, Caitlin Clark made NCAA women's basketball history when she became its highest scorer of all time during the Iowa Hawkeyes' win over the University of Michigan, overtaking Kelsey Plum with a remarkable tally of over 3,569 points. And no one was more delighted than her boyfriend of 10 months.

Indeed, Connor McCaffery quickly took to Instagram (via Sportskeeda) to congratulate his girlfriend, posting a clip of the point guard's first-quarter three-pointer alongside the caption, "So proud. Love you 22." A month later, the Indiana Pacers assistant once again expressed his pride after Clark guided the Hawkeyes to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four by scoring no fewer than 41 points. "Out of words for this 1," he wrote (via People).

McCaffery could never be accused of being a glory hunter, either. On the rare occasions that Clark finds herself on the losing team, her boyfriend is there to give her a pick-me-up. "My GOAT," he captioned an Instagram Story (via New York Post) after the Hawkeyes lost the vital NCAA Championship in what was the final collegiate game of the point guard's career. If that wasn't enough, he also defended Clark after Sheryl Swoopes expressed doubts that Clark would be able to truly break the NCAA women's scoring record. "Just imagine doing an interview and being this misinformed," he tweeted. "I don't even understand what she's trying to say."

Unwavering support isn't just a one-way street in Caitlin Clark and Connor McCaffery's relationship. The former has also championed the latter on several sporting occasions since the pair got together in April 2023.

In the same month they celebrated their one-year anniversary, Clark showed up at the third game of the NBA playoff between the Milwaukee Bucks and her boyfriend's team, the Indiana Pacers. McCaffery wasn't actually on the court, of course, as he's the franchise's team assistant. But he no doubt appreciated the effect that his girlfriend had on the crowd. Indeed, before the game started, Clark and fellow Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston whipped 17,000 fans up into a frenzy simply with their presence. Well, that and their involvement in pumping up an IndyCar replica's accelerator and throwing free T-shirts into the crowd. All this work in the stands seemed to do the trick, as the Pacers won 121-118.

As you can imagine, due to their respective sporting commitments, McCaffery and Clark won't be able to show their support in person too often. "I'm flying solo," the latter responded when asked by a reporter in May 2024 whether her beau would be cheering her on from the sidelines. "I better get used to it, man. This is the pros, this is my job."

To the surprise of no one who watched her basketball career blossom with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Caitlin Clark was the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. The Indiana Fever was the lucky team to get their hands on the record-breaking point guard, and with a support unit already established in the Hoosier State, Clark was elated with the move.

"It's great, obviously it makes the transition a little bit easier," Clark revealed in an interview with the IndyStar, referring to the fact that her boyfriend Connor McCaffery will always be close by as the assistant of the Indiana Pacers' men's team. "You've got people that know the city, and obviously Connor being there is tremendous. I couldn't imagine a better place to start my professional career."

Clark had previously hinted that she'd be heading to the Fever when she replied to an Instagram post from her boyfriend's brother. After Patrick McCaffery expressed his commitment to the Big East Conference's Butler Bulldogs, she commented (via the IndyStar), "Indy takeover."

Caitlin Clark and Connor McCaffery may have only been together since April 2023, but the sporting power couple already seems like they're thinking about growing old together. Indeed, neither party seems afraid of long-term commitment judging by their various Instagram captions, particularly those posted to celebrate their one-year anniversary in 2024.

"One year w the best," McCaffery captioned a loved-up black and white snap of the pair, followed by a video clip of Clark amusingly rolling her eyes on the court. "Doing life w u has been easy, and you never cease to amaze me ... can't wait to watch u live out ur dreams in person." That same day, Clark also confirmed that she was in it for the long haul, writing, "One year of the best mems w my fav person. You make everyday better and I can't wait for many more adventures together ... love you."

But the pair also acknowledges that due to their flourishing careers, there will be several obstacles in the way. "This is not the same as what it was," McCaffery recalled telling Clark in the ESPN documentary series, "Full Court Press," with footage playing of their breakfast being interrupted by eager fans. "Me and you, we cannot go and just walk around like nobody knows who you are. That's not the reality of the situation."

Connor McCaffery isn't going to forget his 26th birthday in a hurry. The Indiana Pacers assistant celebrated the occasion by hitting Las Vegas, and specifically the Encore Beach Club, with controversial comedian Theo Von. An Instagram Story (via the New York Post) posted by the latter ended up causing a whole lot of trouble.

"Dress for the future u want," Von captioned the evidence of all the debauchery, which included McCaffery in close proximity to a number of waitresses wearing only bikinis. While the University of Iowa graduate was busy living it up, his girlfriend was busy guiding the Indiana Fever to victory on the basketball court, setting a new franchise record in the process against the Phoenix Mercury. As a result, her army of fans flocked to social media to give McCaffery a piece of their mind.

"That's not what my queen deserves," one Clark supporter tweeted (via the New York Post). "Get him away from CC this instant she deserves better," posted another. But not everyone was so anti-McCaffery. "Has no one ever went out and had fun on their birthday?" one more diplomatic individual reasoned. "Friends surprised him with this. It's hilarious. Just let people have fun and laugh. Everyone has to make something out of nothing. All. The. Time."

Having been pictured partying in Las Vegas with former President Donald Trump-supporting comedian Theo Von, you might have expected Connor McCaffery to lean to the right. So it was something of a surprise when the Indiana Pacers assistant pledged his allegiance to Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Indeed, in August 2024, McCaffery shared Harris' campaign video "We Choose Freedom" on an Instagram Story. So does this put the University of Iowa graduate on the same political page as his girlfriend? Well, Caitlin Clark has never been the most outspoken of basketball players. But while she's never committed to a particular candidate or party, she has expressed her disdain at being a pawn in the culture wars.

"People should not be using my name to push those agendas," Clark said (via ESPN) after right-wing users used Clark's name to harass players of color in the WNBA online, claiming that the point guard's whiteness was causing her to be bullied in the league. "It's disappointing. It's not acceptable ... Treating every single woman in this league with the same amount of respect, I think, it's just a basic human thing that everybody should do." Once again proving what a dream boyfriend he is, McCaffery liked several social media posts in which Clark was defended from online haters by basketball legend LeBron James.

Caitlin Clark is nothing if not committed to her sport. Just moments after the Indiana Fever recorded a 91-84 win against the Atlanta Dream in June 2024, their star player returned to the basketball court to further hone her midrange shooting skills. And her boyfriend was more than happy to help out. As shown in footage uploaded to X, formerly known as Twitter, Connor McCaffery served as a practice opponent to go against Clark's shooting in front of a near-empty arena. This isn't the first time that the pair has made their personal connection a professional one, either. And they appear to be forging something of a sporting rivalry, too.

Even when she was wishing McCaffery a happy 26th birthday on Instagram, Clark couldn't resist getting a dig in about his prowess on the court. "May this be the year you finally find a way to outshoot me," she wrote, adding a winky face and, "Love you always," just to prove that it was all done in jest. "And I'll keep letting you win those shooting contests!!!!!" her beau responded.

Connor McCaffery and Caitlin Clark capped off an eventful year together with a summer jaunt to Mexico in July 2024. But it was hardly the most intimate of getaways, as the point guard also invited several of her Indiana Fever teammates, too.

Yes, as shown by various Instagram photos and TikTok clips, the sporting couple was joined by Katie Lou Samuelson and Lexie Hull on the trip. "Just a couple mermaids," Samuelson posted on her Instagram Story (via People) over a photo of Clark and Hull lounging on a floating pad in the water. Luckily for McCaffery, he wasn't entirely outnumbered by the ladies because Hull also brought along her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates player Will Matthiessen.

The three WNBA stars were taking advantage of the month-long break from the basketball season caused by the Summer Olympics in Paris, where many of their fellow league members were competing. Clark was controversially omitted from the Team USA squad, so it will be interesting to see whether she's vacationing under the summer sun with McCaffery or battling it out on the court when Los Angeles 2028 comes around.

There might be a major pay disparity between the WNBA and NBA; even the megastars of the former don't earn as much as the lowest-paid players in the latter. But Caitlin Clark still has the kind of bank balance that most of us can only dream about.

Indeed, the point guard's four-year contract with the Indiana Fever is worth a total of $338,000. And with opportunities to earn bonuses and land lucrative deals — she has already aligned herself with the likes of Gatorade, Nike, and Buick — expect that number to balloon as her basketball career progresses. In fact, her total net worth is currently said to stand at $3.4 million as of 2024.

Clark could have more than doubled that amount in one go had she agreed to sign up to the Big3 League, the three-on-three brainchild of rapper Ice Cube. She was reportedly offered $5 million to showcase her talents in the fledgling league, with games taking place during the WNBA's off-season. But she has yet to take the bait. As for McCaffery, well, according to unofficial reports, his role as an Indiana Pacers team assistant and various business endeavors means he has a net worth of $1.5 million.