DeJean’s Basketball Boast: Can He Beat Clark?

Prior to being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL, Cooper DeJean, a former standout football player at the University of Iowa, boasted that he could potentially beat the renowned Caitlin Clark in a one-on-one basketball match should they ever encounter each other on the court. This declaration came prior to the NFL Draft. DeJean was also a successful high school basketball player in Iowa, but he ultimately opted for football, which led to his eventual selection in the NFL draft. During an interview with Kay Adams on her show “Up and Adams,” DeJean expressed that he believed he could win against Clark, although Adams showed skepticism towards his claims. Nonetheless, when Adams viewed his past basketball highlights, DeJean appeared confident in his abilities and admitted that there wasn’t yet a confirmed date for a possible one-on-one matchup between the two. DeJean played varsity basketball for three years at OABCIG High School in Ida Grove, Iowa, and amassed 1,832 points throughout his high school career, surpassing NBA player Harrison Barnes’ total during his time playing basketball in Iowa by 45 points, although he fell short by 55 points compared to Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson. Caitlin Clark, who recently became the top overall pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, concluded her collegiate basketball career as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball. Her debut in the regular season is imminent.