Caitlin Clark Opens Up About the WNBA Draft, Olympic Dreams…and Why She Was More Nervous for Saturday Night Live Appearance Than March Madness: “My Heart Was Racing!”

Caitlin Clark has lifted the lid on her “wild ride” to the WNBA, revealing she was in second grade when she first wrote down her dream of playing at the top of women’s basketball.

Clark is expected to be the No. 1 pick in Monday’s WNBA draft after an incredible college career that saw her lead the Iowa Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship games.

The 22-year-old has become the biggest star in college basketball and is enjoying being in the spotlight of the professional game.

“I think when you want to be one of the best players in the world, it just kind of comes,” she told NBC News.

“It’s something I wrote on a piece of paper when I was in second grade: ‘Get a basketball scholarship, play in the WNBA’ – it’s still something I always have wanted to do.”

The Indiana Fever is expected to select Clark on Monday, with season tickets already selling quite well in Indianapolis.

The 22-year-old expects her move to professional basketball to be a “learning curve,” but Clark knows she’s “earned to be in this moment.”

“That’s always kind of what I remind myself: You’re not here by chance,” she said.

Clark made history with the Hawkeyes, becoming the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer and helping Iowa attract record viewership numbers.

The Hawkeyes’ loss to South Carolina in this year’s national championship game drew 18.7 million viewers – 4 million more than the men’s final between UConn and Purdue – while the WNBA draft drew sold in 15 minutes.

Clark became the biggest star in college basketball while on the Iowa Hawkeyes.

“You’re late to the party,” she told the sport’s new fans. “Once we really had a chance to show the product, people really liked it and wanted to invest in it even more.”

She added: “Let’s continue to attract (fans) and want them to come back for more.” Clark said being a role model for young girls is “the reason” she plays.

“It is extremely important to understand the extent of the impact this can have on a young girl’s life,” she added. “So I always try to devote as much time to them as possible. And just seeing them scream your name or wear your jersey, it’s something that never gets old.

Clark’s burgeoning profile saw her make an appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend.

The basketball star made a shock appearance on Saturday Night Live ahead of the WNBA draft.

“I’m not nervous for basketball games,” she said. “But standing in front of a live audience on national television, doing something outside of your comfort zone, is a little scary. My heart was racing.

The 22-year-old is expected to make her WNBA debut in May, just months before the Olympics. And Clark said it would “mean everything” to pull on the United States jersey in Paris.

“It was one of my dreams when I was a kid… growing up you always want to be an Olympic gold medalist,” she said. “Luckily, I was able to play for a few junior national teams in their basketball system, so I know how special it is to represent the United States on your chest.”

Clark added: “To be able to do that at the highest level would definitely be a dream come true.”