It was quite the rookie year for former Iowa standouts Caitlin Clark and Cooper DeJean.
Clark was named WNBA Rookie of the Year after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever, while DeJean helped the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl after being selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Which NFL-WNBA Combos Could Challenge Caitlin Clark and Cooper DeJean?
The college classmates have mutual respect, and DeJean believes that if the two teamed up for a hypothetical NFL-WNBA 2-on-2 basketball game, they’d emerge victorious over any competition.
Who wins in a 2v2 tournament?
Cooper DeJean & Caitlin Clark
vs
ANY NFL/WNBA duo 👀
🎤: @Hassel_Chris pic.twitter.com/T6EEwAi2Qf
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 19, 2025
“We’ll take on anybody,” DeJean told NFL on CBS. “Anybody you throw at us, and I don’t think it’ll be close. I think me and her on the same team, it’d be an almost unstoppable duo.”
DeJean was confident in his initial claim, but what about a matchup versus former LSU stars Justin Jefferson and Angel Reese? Jefferson is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and Reese defeated Clark in the NCAA Tournament finals in 2023.
“I’m taking us over anybody, DeJean doubled down. “No matter, no matter who you say.”
A tougher matchup from a physical size standpoint would be Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson.
“Yeah, that one would be tough,” DeJean admitted. “But I like us. No matter what. Those are two pretty big people, so it’d be tough for us being guards and all, but I think we’d figure it out.”
Did Clark Cheer on DeJean in This Year’s Super Bowl?
The Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl 59. Clark, however, is a Chiefs fan. Despite the loss, though, she sent DeJean a congratulatory text after the game.
“I think us going to Iowa together she was just saying that she was proud of me,” DeJean said on The Pivot podcast. “I appreciate her for that sending that message…and she claimed that she was cheering for [the Chiefs] throughout the game. But it was cool to get that message from her.”
The Fever open the season versus Reese and the Chicago Sky on May 17.
