Caitlin Clark might be stuck on the sideline with a season-ending groin injury, but she’s still making moves off the court. Her latest? A collab with Stanley on a custom line of water bottles.
One of the first people to hype her up was none other than her old Iowa coach, Lisa Bluder. On Monday, Bluder posted a picture on her Instagram story holding two bottles from the new drop.
“I’m not sure which one of these terrific new Caitlin Clark Stanley water bottles I should drink out of first?! Thanks CC!” she wrote.
Caitlin Clark reposted it, keeping it short and loud: “DAWG.” She also jumped into the comments and answered Bluder’s question with a cheeky, “Both at once.”
It was a fun back-and-forth that reminded fans how close the two remain. Bluder wasn’t just Clark’s coach during her record-breaking Iowa run — she was basically a mentor and mother figure. She guided Clark through back-to-back NCAA championship game appearances and was on the sideline when Clark became the all-time leading scorer in Division I history. By the time Bluder retired in 2024, she left as the winningest coach in Big 10 history.
Caitlin Clark and Bluder’s MJ–Phil Jackson connection
The bond goes even deeper. In an interview with The Athletic this summer, Bluder admitted she always saw her role with Caitlin Clark in a similar light to Phil Jackson coaching Michael Jordan.
“The things that Michael Jordan had, that Phil had to help Michael with, were some of the same things that I feel like I had to help Caitlin with,” Bluder said.
She even made Clark read from Jackson’s Sacred Hoops to pick up lessons on leadership and team chemistry.
Now, even while Clark heals up, her name keeps popping up everywhere. Between on-court dominance, high-profile partnerships, and a personality that clicks with fans, she’s still carrying the WNBA spotlight — and Bluder is right there backing her, just like always.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
