Over four years at Iowa and in her rookie season with the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark has reshaped the conversation around women’s basketball. With an electric playstyle reminiscent of Stephen Curry, Clark continues to captivate fans worldwide.
However, in a friendly shooting competition against NFL legend and two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning, Clark suffered a surprising loss — but she won over fans with her response.
Caitlin Clark vs. Eli Manning: The Shooting Competition You Never Knew You Needed
At one of the retro shooting machines, the WNBA Rookie of the Year faced off against an all-time great quarterback. Clark took an early lead, but once Manning got going, he was impossible to slow down.
A red-hot streak from the former New York Giants star led to an unexpected victory as Clark admitted she was not great at Pop-A-Shot. Still, the final score — 76-51 — was a big margin for the all-time leading scorer in women’s college basketball history to lose by.
Eli Manning beating Caitlin Clark in Pop A Shot!! There’s a first for everything Caitlin. She handled the loss well though… pic.twitter.com/146pZV9nIL
— ericaf455 (@ericaf455) March 6, 2025
Manning’s 76 points was also the highest score recorded on that machine, something the two-time Super Bowl MVP pointed out right away. Even Clark had to give him credit.
“Give it up for Eli. That was actually really good.”
Manning, enjoying the win, couldn’t resist some playful trash talk.
“We do a lot of games on this show. I’ve never beaten anyone before.” Clark took it in stride, laughing, “I’m honored to be the first.”
As the host joked, the short-range shots may not have suited the NCAA’s all-time 3-point leader. But the Fever will need her sharpshooting if they want to build on last season.
After three straight years of picking near the top of the draft, the Fever returned to the playoffs thanks to a standout season from Clark, who led the team in points (19.2), assists (8.4), and steals (1.3).
Clark was just as dominant in two playoff games, scoring 36 points, dishing out 17 assists, and averaging two steals per contest. Her incredible rookie campaign earned her All-WNBA First Team honors, along with the Rookie of the Year award.
