More than Caitlin Clark alone. There are several basketball stars that suburban girls might look up to.

Those who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s looked up to basketball players like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, and Dr. J.

There were few, if any, opportunities for boys and girls to observe women on television.

Right now? A whole new world exists here.

“I believe everyone was inspired by Michael Jordan and (the Bulls’) run because I kind of grew up in that age,” stated Dave Yates, the coach of Fremd’s girls team for more than 20 years, who also played collegiately at Elmhurst College, which is now known as Elmhurst University. Women’s sports are now becoming quite popular. There are larger crowds and much more TV coverage of it. That’s quite thrilling, then.

If you ask 100 girls today who they look up to, the most, if not all of them, will at the very least name Caitlin Clark. Clark is an Iowa star shooter who is only 39 points away from breaking the NCAA record for most points scored in history.

But, there are many more people who are motivating Illinois’ best players, owing to ESPN, streaming services, and social media. We wanted to know why specific athletes spoke to us and whether some of the best females in the area have been able to get better at what they’ve seen.

The responses were really interesting.

Three females selected Clark as their favorite player. Furthermore, why not? The senior member of the Hawkeyes can hit shots from 25, 30, and even 35 feet away. She is also a superb defender, lethal off the dribble, and unafraid in a crisis.

Most importantly, it appears that she recognizes the value of setting an example for others.

Hope Sebek, a senior at Downers Grove North who will be attending Iowa in the fall, said of her, “I respect her persistence.” She also moves to the rim even when she isn’t making shots from the outside. She demonstrates that it’s acceptable to miss some shots. Even so, you ought to shoot them.

Maddy Ziebarth, a senior at Barrington, said, “She’s clutch in all the moments she has to be.” When they’re tied, she’s going to make a lot of shots. She made a 3-pointer to win the game, much like when they were playing Michigan State earlier this year.

Yep. A step-back 3 from 5 feet behind the line, no less.

So what about that range?

“It’s insane,” Sebek said. “It’s truly unbelievable. I don’t even know if she understands it either. But you can tell she’s just so confident. That’s what stands out most.”

Schaumburg’s Grace Schluckbier notices Clark’s composure, a trait the senior tries to emulate.

“I would say I’m a very composed basketball player,” said Schluckbier, who received some Division III offers but will try to play club ball at Michigan State next year. “I got it from her by watching her play. So that Ohio State game (on Jan. 21), even though they lost, she stayed composed through the battle.”

None of these three could attend Iowa’s sold-out game at Northwestern on Jan. 31, but the visit did leave one lasting memory for Schluckbier.

“I did see a bunch of videos of little girls behind her, and how she signed their souvenirs,” Schluckbier said. “I thought that was really cool.”

Downers Grove North sophomore Ady Fanta loves watching Marquette’s Kenzie Hare, who played at Bartlett High School before transferring to Naperville North. Hare, who went through the same AAU program as Fanta, finished her prep career with 2,494 points and 398 3-pointers — fourth highest in state history.

“It’s inspiring to know that someone went through the program and got so far,” Fantas said. “She always was a good player, but she had to work a lot to get noticed.”

Hare has started all 24 games for Marquette and is averaging 14.5 points while hitting 45.3% of her 3-pointers.

But the numbers aren’t what impress Fanta most.

“It’s just the way she carries herself,” Fanta said. “Honestly, she’s always there. Like somebody falls, she runs towards them. She’s just so inspiring towards the kid community. You can tell she really wants to be on the floor.”

Stanford’s Cameron Brink — perhaps somewhat surprisingly — was chosen by not one but two girls.

Not that Brink isn’t worthy. She’s the Cardinal’s all-time leader in blocks, was named WBCA defensive player of the year in 2023, and inked an NIL deal with New Balance to become the first female basketball player on the brand’s athlete roster.

Oh, and she averages 17.6 points a game and knocks down 91.8% of her free throws — fifth best in the country.

What’s surprising is she plays on the West Coast. But, again, that goes to show how much the women’s game has grown.

“I love the fundamental part of the women’s game much more than the men’s game,” Bolt said. “To me, it’s way more fun to coach.

“The men’s side, if you’re looking for athletic, above-the-rim-type stuff, they can offer you that. But I mean, when it comes down to playing basketball and the skill set you need, these girls are incredibly talented.”