IowaIowa’s Cooper DeJean boldly claims he can beat Iowa legend Caitlin Clark in basketball

Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean has said that he could defeat his school’s alumna, incoming WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark, in a one-on-one basketball game.

In an interview with Yahoo Sports, DeJean acknowledged Caitlin Clark’s scoring ability but expressed confidence in his ability to come out on top in a potential matchup.

“A lot of teams have asked me if I could beat Caitlin Clark in a one-on-one, just being from Iowa,” DeJean said.

“I said, I think I can. She’d probably score a few buckets on me, but I think I could pull it off.”

Clark, who set an NCAA career scoring record with 3,951 points, was chosen as the top pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever.

According to CBS Sports, DeJean achieved state titles in both track and football as a multi-sport athlete in high school. Initially a 1,000-yard receiver in his sophomore year, he led his high school to consecutive state championships as the starting quarterback.

In his senior year, he scored 59 touchdowns and also displayed defensive prowess by intercepting three passes as a defensive back.

Despite his focus shifting to football, DeJean also had a notable basketball career in high school, amassing 1,832 points and earning the distinction of being the state’s all-time steals leader.

Caitlin Clark could have made $15 million with BIG3 league

BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz recently disclosed that Caitlin Clark had the opportunity to earn over $15 million if she had opted to sign with the BIG3 league instead of committing solely to the WNBA.

In an article for OutKick, Kwatinetz said Clark could have continued to play in the WNBA since the BIG3 season consists of only 10 games.

He revealed that BIG3’s offer would have included a $10 million salary over a two-year period, along with a percentage of team ownership valued at millions, 50% of merchandising revenues derived from her name and likeness and ownership of a BIG3 documentary featuring her with a seven-figure advance.

“[F]inancially, compared to her paltry WNBA salary it was a MEGA offer,” Kwatinetz said.

“In total, we’re talking fifteen million dollars or more to merely play a ten-game season. While still allowing her to play in the WNBA. The absolute best of both worlds!”

Caitlin Clark is set to make $76,535 in base salary this year as a rookie in the WNBA, as part of a four-year contract worth $338,056.