WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark has long had ties to Kansas City, but nothing like this

One of the most heartening events on the Kansas City sports calendar is the WIN for KC Women’s Sports Awards banquet: an annual celebration of the Women’s Intersport Network for Kansas City’s mission to “ignite girls and women through advocating and promoting the lifetime value of sports and fitness, while providing opportunities for participation and leadership development.”

For the event understood to be the nation’s largest luncheon celebrating “National Girls and Women in Sports Day,” I’ve urged friends from around the country to attend because it always delivers an uplifting and thought-provoking program highlighted by remarkable speakers.

And the tradition that has included megastars Billie Jean King, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Simone Biles, Sue Bird and Briana Scurry will be amplified on Feb. 4 when WNBA sensation Caitlin Clark becomes the latest featured guest as the burgeoning event moves to T-Mobile Center to make more room.

“Sports have played a pivotal role in my life, helping develop critical skills like teamwork, resiliency and confidence that serve me on and off the court,” Clark, the WNBA rookie of the year and NCAA Division I career scoring leader (including men and women), said in a news release. “WIN for KC are incredible champions for creating opportunity for girls and women through sports, and I’m excited to join them to celebrate those that are making an impact.”

The impact is particularly notable this week as Kansas City prepares to play host to the National Women’s Soccer League title game at CPKC Stadium, which opened earlier this year as the world’s first stadium purpose-built for a women’s professional team, and as the ownership group of the KC Current pursues a WNBA expansion franchise.

“We wanted to find someone who really was the whole picture of what the (women’s) sports movement is right now and also what Kansas City is right now,” WIN for KC director Taylor Obersteadt said in an interview with The Star on Monday.

Added Kathy Nelson, CEO and president of both the Kansas City Sports Commission and Visit KC: “She’s an exclamation point for us right now. When you think of the power behind WIN for KC, the Sports Commission, Kansas City in general, no matter where we go throughout the world right now talking about Kansas City, people know us. And for her to say yes to this means she knows the power of Kansas City and the power of Kansas City supporting women in sport.

“I don’t think she would go out of her way to do this if it weren’t for the passion our city has in supporting women leaders and supporting women’s athletics. And I think she knows that, and she sees that.”

Before her mind-boggling career at Iowa and becoming the Indiana Fever’s selection at No. 1 overall in the 2024 draft, Clark grew up less than three hours away in West Des Moines, Iowa.

“She has so many ties to us,” Obersteadt said.

Among those are a forever allegiance to the Chiefs, including long ago wearing what she called “an embarrassing picture of me in all-Chiefs gear” that she spoke to on a ManningCast during last season’s Chiefs-Eagles game.

“In our basement, we had a Chiefs vending machine,” she said then, also noting she has cousins in Kansas City and was a true fan even when they weren’t very good.

Meanwhile, Clark also has made an impression on Patrick Mahomes — who along with his wife, Brittany, and Angie and Chris Long are in pursuit of the WNBA team. He’s long been conscious of her career, including saying last season that he hoped he’d never have to play her one-on-one.

“Because she’ll be for sure getting buckets on me,” he said, smiling, at a pre-Super Bowl news conference.

That was all part of what’s become known as the Caitlin Clark Effect, which has rippled into WNBA attendance and TV ratings because of her record-breaking, often mesmerizing, performances.

As a high school and college basketball player, Obersteadt lamented, “I was used to not having people in the stands … (and) there just wasn’t that much excitement around basketball.

“And I think even just watching the (WNBA) playoffs … you can’t help but get emotional. It’s given a spotlight on women’s basketball and just also women’s sports that we haven’t really had in the past. …

“I think we’re finally getting the acknowledgment we deserve as female athletes, which just translates to so much more.”

One way or another, it might also translate to more impetus for the WNBA movement here.

Clark’s overall impact enhances what Nelson sees as growing momentum for a cause she has seen take a turn from skepticism — “why would we want that now?” — to “what do we need to do to land this?”

Having entrenched and prospective fans see Clark here can only help, and it’s not a bad thing for Clark to see what T-Mobile Center might be like for a WNBA team.

But that’s also a side-point in the big picture.

Because her impending presence here itself, including her eagerness to speak about mental health as WIN highlights its wellness initiative, is the exclamation point.

Tickets are expected to go on sale Wednesday at axs.com.