Coach Calipari’s surprise praise for Caitlin Clark leaves fans buzzing.

John Calipari met Caitlin Clark at the Wooden Awards Ceremony.

Arkansas men’s basketball coach John Calipari recently surprised fans with his admiration for Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark.

In a tweet, Calipari shared a photo of himself and Clark at the John R. Wooden Award ceremony, praising her for transforming women’s college basketball while remaining true to herself and how she treats others.

“Had a chance to meet @CaitlinClark22 at the @WoodenAward ceremony, and I am very impressed,”Coach Cal said in his X accoount. He also highlighted how “Caitlin has transformed women’s college basketball, but it hasn’t changed who she is and how she treats others. Special person!”

The fans were shocked

Calipari’s words were enough for fans to comment en masse on the unexpected praising.

“Two goats. One’s an Arkansas head coach now never imagined cheering you on, @CoachCalArk but can’t wait to start…” one fan wrote in response to Calipari’s tweet.

“Execs at Tyson Foods are already on the phone with the Arkansas collective asking how much NIL Caitlin needs to hold off on the WNBA for another year,” joked another user, while someone else stated, “Trying so hard not to like this.”

Caitlin Clark is a must for the Olympic team

Clark’s talent has not gone unnoticed. Three-time WNBA MVP and four-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie has insisted that Clarkbe included on the USA Basketball roster for the upcoming Olympics in Paris.

“She better be on the Olympic team. We should not leave the country without her,” Leslie told ESPN.

As Clark prepares for her professional debut, Coach Cal’s unexpected praise serves as a reminder of her impact on the game and the excitement surrounding her future in basketball.