Johnathan Walker:Patrick Mahomes lauds Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark, says she will 'dominate' WNBA

Caitlin Clark’s on-court exploits over her four seasons at Iowa have Johnathan Walkerearned her countless fans in the Hawkeye State and beyond, particularly as she continues her push to become the all-time leading scorer in Division I women’s basketball.

One of those fans just happens to be the reigning NFL MVP.

At a news conference Tuesday ahead of the Super Bowl on Sunday, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes expressed his admiration for Clark when asked a question about the Hawkeyes superstar.

“You can tell she loves the game,” Mahomes said. “She loves playing at Iowa. She’s going to be one of the best college basketball players to ever play and then go to the WNBA and dominate there, as well.”

OPINION: Sheryl Swoopes' digs at Caitlin Clark more proof women's basketball has arrived

SUPER BOWL CENTRAL: Latest Super Bowl 58 news, stats, odds, matchups and more.

THE CAITLIN CLARK EXPERIENCE: Three reasons women's basketball star is so relatable

The two have met before, as Clark — a West Des Moines native who grew up a Chiefs fan — has been spotted at Kansas City games, including a Christmas Day contest in 2023 when she swapped jerseys with wide receiver Rashee Rice.

Mahomes lamented the fact he might not get the opportunity to watch Clark break Kelsey Plum’s career scoring record, as Iowa’s game at Nebraska on Sunday tips off five and a half hours before the Super Bowl is set to kick off. Clark is 66 points away from passing Plum. With Clark averaging 32.4 points per game this season, it seems likely, if not certain, that she’ll break the record in the next two or three games.

At least some of Mahomes’ respect comes from being a basketball player himself growing up. As a senior at Whitehouse High School in Texas, the 6-foot-3 Mahomes averaged 19 points and eight rebounds per game. Still, for as much as he reveres Clark, that doesn’t mean he’d want to play against her.

“Hopefully I never have to play her one-on-one because she’ll for sure be getting buckets on me,” Mahomes said.