Caitlin Clark’s announcement that she would leave the Iowa women’s basketball team for the WNBA in two months seemingly came out of nowhere, as many analysts had expected the superstar to wait until after the NCAA Tournament to reveal her decision. Instead, she made the call public with one regular-season contest to go and many more postseason games on the docket.

“While this season is far from over and we have a lot more goals to achieve,” Clark wrote on social media, “it will be my last one at Iowa. I am excited to be entering the 2024 WNBA Draft.

“It is impossible to fully express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me during my time at Iowa – my teammates, who made the last four years the best; my coaches, trainers, and staff who always let me be me; Hawkeye fans who filled Carver every night; and everyone who came out to support us across the country, especially the young kids.”

So, why did Clark decided to tell the world right now that she’s leaving college basketball for the professional ranks? Mirror Sports US breaks down the decision…