From Basketball Star to Beauty Pageant Inspiration: Caitlin Clark Takes Center Stage in Miss USA Contest
In a creative blend of sports fandom and pageantry, Miss Indiana Sydney Shrewsbury has brought WNBA star Caitlin Clark to the Miss USA competition in a unique and eye-catching way. After being crowned Miss Indiana on April 5, Shrewsbury chose to honor the Indiana Fever superstar during the state costume portion of the national pageant with an elaborate Clark-inspired outfit. The thoughtful tribute showcases how Clark’s influence has transcended basketball courts to become a cultural touchpoint in her new home state of Indiana, where basketball isn’t just a sport but a cherished tradition.
Shrewsbury’s costume was a detailed homage to Clark, featuring a black glittered bandeau emblazoned with Clark’s signature number 22 and “INDIANA” written across both the top and shorts. The outfit was completed with knee-high white heels and a distinctive black cape adorned with a basketball net. As a final touch, she carried a black-and-gold glittered basketball reminiscent of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ colors, where Clark became a college basketball legend before joining the WNBA. Sharing images of her costume on Instagram, Shrewsbury proudly declared she was “Reppin Ms. Clark & the Hoosier state with pride!!” The creative costume reflects not just admiration for a sports figure, but acknowledges the cultural impact Clark has made since joining Indiana’s professional basketball landscape.
The tribute goes beyond mere fandom, touching on the growing popularity of women’s sports that Clark has helped catalyze. Prior to the state costume show, Shrewsbury posted a photo of herself wearing a shirt with the bold statement, “Everyone watches women’s sports” – a nod to the unprecedented viewership Clark has brought to women’s basketball. This sentiment reflects the changing landscape in sports entertainment, where athletes like Clark are breaking barriers and drawing attention to women’s professional leagues in unprecedented ways. The Miss Indiana contestant seems to understand the cultural significance of Clark’s arrival in Indiana, seeing it as part of the state’s storied basketball legacy that deserves celebration on a national stage.
In explaining her costume choice, Shrewsbury offered a perspective that places Clark within Indiana’s rich basketball tradition: “In 49 states it’s just basketball, but this is INDIANA.” This sentiment captures the unique relationship between the state and the sport, where basketball transcends entertainment to become a cornerstone of cultural identity. She further elaborated to Fox News Digital that “Indiana proudly claims several basketball legends including Caitlin Clark, Larry Bird, Reggie Miller, and Tyrese Halliburton.” The inclusion of Clark alongside these established Indiana basketball icons demonstrates how quickly the WNBA star has been embraced by her new home state, despite having just begun her professional career there.
What makes this tribute particularly notable is how rapidly Clark has been adopted into Indiana’s basketball pantheon. Most athletes need years or even decades to become so intrinsically linked with a state’s identity that they would feature in something as distinctly cultural as a Miss USA state costume. Yet Clark’s impact has been so immediate and profound that she’s already being celebrated alongside longtime legends of the game. Shrewsbury’s statement that “Indiana doesn’t just play the game—it defines it” speaks to this deeper connection between basketball excellence and state pride, with Clark now positioned as the newest standard-bearer of this tradition.
The Miss USA pageant, scheduled for Friday at 8 p.m. ET in Reno, Nevada, will provide the national stage for Shrewsbury’s Clark-inspired creation. Whether or not Shrewsbury takes home the crown, her creative homage has already succeeded in highlighting how sports figures like Clark can influence culture beyond their athletic achievements. The costume represents a merging of two seemingly different worlds – professional sports and beauty pageants – united through state pride and the recognition of female achievement. As Clark continues her professional career with the Indiana Fever, this pageant moment stands as an early indication of her growing legacy not just as a basketball player, but as a cultural icon whose influence extends far beyond the court.
