Women’s basketball legend Sue Bird recently shared some discouraging news in relation to the growth of basketball across the country. The facts she came up with were quite startling to be very honest, as she talked about the lack of girls taking up basketball in school nowadays. What was even more shocking was the fact that these fallen numbers also belonged to a certain Caitlin Clark’s state.

“Girls’ high school basketball numbers are down.It is a little confusing, considering the WNBA is booming. The National Federation of State High School Association reports there is a 21% decline in participation across the country since 2000. Not all places are seeing declines, but even in Caitlin Clark’s home state of Iowa, ABC News report said the drop is bigger than most states, that actually surprises me,” says Sue Bird on the Touch More podcast, who is baffled by the news herself.

Now it’s a sad state of affairs if you look at the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) records, and it just goes to show how the number of women’s basketball players is dwindling. The drop has been sharp, with 21% to 22% since the 1999-2000 school year. Despite the Caitlin Clark era descending upon us with all its aura, there has been a sharp fall in numbers from 451,600 in 2000 to 356,240 in the 2024-25 season.

The biggest decline has been noticeable in Kansas (43%), followed by Louisiana (42%), North Dakota (40%) Indiana (39%), Iowa (38%), and Texas (36%).

Sure, seeing Iowa’s name does feel kind of strange, but that’s the reality of things now, and it seems it’s beyond the powers of even Caitlin Clark to salvage the situation. Hopefully, the matter finds resolution, and more new faces take up basketball as they would be the players to replace the current generation once these players bid adieu to the game.

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Speaking of Caitlin Clark, Marina Mabrey recently joined Sue Bird’s show to spill some beans on her CC crash-out.

Marina Mabrey Confesses She Went Overboard Shoving Caitlin Clark

Marina Mabrey has gained notoriety for her anger outbursts, and one player who found herself under her raging glare was none other than Caitlin Clark. Mabrey recently found herself as a guest on Sue Bird’s show, Bird’s Eye View, to share the details of the encounter.

“I’m 100% aware, like I know when I went too far with things. It’s like shameful. It’s like, ‘Really, Marina? That was ridiculous.’ So like, for example, the Caitlin thing That was obvious that my emotions of us losing and losing and losing, and then she’s low-key punking our team on top of it that was too far. That was too much,” said Mabrey as she looked a little embarrassed talking about the incident with Sue Bird.

The incident happened last year in June. Jacy Sheldon seemingly hit Caitlin Clark in the eye while defending her as Clark and Sheldon exchanged some pushes. Marina Mabrey then came out of nowhere as she blindsided Clark, pushing her to the floor.

Well, that was just the start of the drama as more was waiting to happen later on. Sophie Cunningham retaliated by wrapping up Sheldon under the basket, and then a scuffle broke out, leading to the eviction of Cunningham, Sheldon, and Lindsay Allen.

Caitlin Clark, however, came out unscathed, scoring 20 points and 6 assists, earning her team a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup.

Marina’s breakdown of the incident brought about a lot of laughter from everyone present on the show, including her Connecticut teammate Aaliyah Edwards, who couldn’t hide her smile. Well, the laughs did seem to suggest that Mabrey had buried the hatchet with Caitlin, but you never know what these two players can get up to when they again cross paths on the court.