Caitlin Clark is behind Taylor Swift but above Serena Williams on Time magazine cover

Caitlin Clark earned immoderate beautiful awesome existent property connected nan latest Time mag cover. 

Time released its Inspiring Women typical version rumor Wednesday and featured eight women successful positions of leadership, including 3 athletes. 

The apical statement of a photograph collage included Clark and Taylor Swift. Swift was astatine nan halfway of it, and Clark was adjacent to her. 

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The jock who appears aft Clark, connected nan near broadside of nan 2nd row, is erstwhile women's tennis superstar Serena Williams.

Former women's shot subordinate Megan Rapinoe appeared successful nan mediate of nan 3rd row. 

Serena Williams hits to Bianca Andreescu during nan 2019 U.S. Open astatine USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center successful Flushing, N.Y., Sept. 7, 2019. (Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports)

Clark sewage higher billing than some Williams and Rapinoe moreover though Clark, astatine conscionable 22 years old, has played conscionable 1 master play of her sport. But Clark's surging fame arsenic a women's hoops superstar has arguably made her a higher floor plan fig than anyone other connected nan screen different than Swift this year. 

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A caller YouGov study recovered Clark is among nan astir celebrated hoops players successful nan world successful 2024, ranking among athletes for illustration LeBron James and Stephen Curry, and Clark's followers see ample numbers of men and women. The "Caitlin Clark effect" became universally adopted by media outlets complete nan past twelvemonth to picture nan effect Clark had connected women's hoops astatine nan assemblage and pro levels.

This year's WNBA draft, successful which nan Indiana Fever selected Clark pinch nan first wide pick, averaged 2.45 cardinal viewers, nan astir successful WNBA draught history and nan most-watched WNBA telecast since 2000. The apical 15 most-watched WNBA games of nan regular play each person included Clark. She helped nan convention tie grounds TV audiences for games played astatine nan aforesaid clip arsenic NFL games. 

Indiana Fever defender Caitlin Clark (22) and Connecticut Sun guardant DeWanna Bonner (24) speech words during nan first half successful Game 2 of a first-round WNBA hoops playoff bid Sept. 25, 2024, successful Uncasville, Conn.  (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Clark's fame has been compared to Swift's successful nan euphony industry, and their fans moreover had a infinitesimal of crossover successful caller weeks owed to a arguable podcast section by Clark's rival, Angel Reese. 

Reese hosted a female named Kayla Nicole, who is simply a promotional model, media personality, on-air big and intermezo journalist who utilized to day Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Nicole went into individual item astir her romanticist narration pinch Kelce successful nan past and its aftermath during nan quality connected Reese's podcast, prompting outrage from Swift's fans. 

Then, a viral resurfacing of a societal media station by Clark erstwhile she was successful assemblage brought a horde of fierce caller fans her way, courtesy of nan Swift army.

"Taylor Swift invited to nan bully side," Clark wrote Sept. 24, 2023, successful a post connected X pinch nan hashtag "Chiefs Kingdom."

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese successful nan 2023 NCAA women's final, and Taylor Swift crying successful beforehand of Travis Kelce astatine nan Super Bowl. (Getty Images)

Clark has besides drawn praise from Williams, who defended nan 22-year-old from women's hoops fans who person chosen not to clasp Clark. 

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"I conscionable emotion that she tried to enactment grounded and that she doesn't ... look astatine her societal [media]," Williams told The Associated Press. "I get it. I don't either. And I deliberation it's truthful important to proceed doing what she's doing."

Williams besides suggested that immoderate of nan negativity directed astatine Clark stemmed from jealousy.

"And nary matter what different group do, if group are negative, past it's because they can't do what you do … basically," Williams noted. "And hopefully she'll proceed to do what she's doing."

However, Williams besides made a remark that raised eyebrows among Clark's fans. 

During a speech astatine nan ESPYS successful July, Williams made a joke astir nan statement surrounding Clark’s unprecedented fame successful nan league. 

"Caitlin Clark has had an astonishing twelvemonth and is nominated for 3 awards. Caitlin, you are nan Larry Bird successful that you are an astonishing player, you person ties to Indiana and White group are really crazy astir you." 

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