One former Caitlin Clark critic just flipped sides and came out as a new fan, after admitting that they used to hate on Clark because of her showcase of skills.
In a video from TikTok, known Caitlin Clark critic Sofia Ruffin opened up about how she used to be a “hater,” but has since become a fan.
“Hating on a person is real because they’re good,” Ruffin said. “I’m just gonna admit that I was a Caitlin Clark hater that turned into a fan. I was only hating on her skills at that time because she was going up against my favorite team.”
“Our favorite, just across the board, is South Carolina. And then the year that she knocked them out of the championship game, it was like, ‘Aw, nah.’”
Haters turned CC fans.
“She lived up to the hype”
“They see the greatness in you, and try to knock it out of you, but IF ITS IN YOU, THEY CANT KNOCK IT OUT.”
“Greatness is all over Caitlin”@SophiaRuffin pic.twitter.com/7Xk9xxCofX— WT1231 (@Aolgang) April 16, 2025
Sofia Ruffin was once one of Caitlin Clark’s most vocal critics, openly admitting to “hating” on Clark during her college basketball career. Ruffin’s criticism stemmed from Clark’s dominance, particularly when she led Iowa to a victory over Ruffin’s favorite team, South Carolina, in the 2023 Final Four.
Clark’s 41-point performance in that game solidified her reputation, but it also fueled Ruffin’s disdain, as she even switched allegiances to LSU in hopes of seeing Clark lose in the championship.
However, Ruffin’s perspective shifted when she acknowledged that Clark had “lived up to the hype” and proved her exceptional skills on the court.
Caitlin Clark had an extraordinary college basketball career at Iowa and closed her college chapter as one of the greatest in NCAA history. Over her four years, she averaged 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game, with shooting percentages of 46.2% from the field, 37.7% from three-point range, and 85.8% from the free-throw line.
Caitlin Clark HC Praises Her Ability in “Managing It All”
In an interview with The Athletic, Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White praised Caitlin Clark for her ability to deal with all the pressure and negativities that come with the level of fame that she has, so much so that she likened Clark to one of the biggest pop icons of the generation.
“I think first and foremost, she does an outstanding job of managing it all,” White said. “Like, she’s incredibly humble. She understands the big picture. So she views it, understanding her celebrity, No. 1. But No. 2, she’s a Midwest kid, a Midwest person, and she is who she is.”
“She tries to live her life in an authentic way. But she’s very much Taylor Swift 2.0.”
During her rookie season, Caitlin Clark averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through [email protected]. 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.
