Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark sent the internet into a frenzy when she shared images of herself cozying up to her apparent boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, on Monday.
Clark has been private when it comes to matters away from the court but didn’t shy away from sharing pics of her with her beau.
“Best end to summer,” Clark captioned the photos she posted to Instagram of the two.
McCaffery later commented on the post, “U CUTE,” along with a heart and fingers crossed emojis.
Clark, 21, and McCaffery, 25, were “believed to have been together for several months now,” according to The Spun.
Here’s what else you should know about Clark’s new boyfriend.
McCaffery is part of Iowa basketball royalty
McCaffery played six years (2017-23) at the University of Iowa, where his dad, Fran McCaffery, has been the men’s basketball head coach since 2010.
The former guard appeared in 166 games during his time with the Hawkeyes — second most in school history — and averaged 4.5 points and 3.2 assists during his long tenure.
His 3.59 assist-to-turnover ratio is the second-best in NCAA history.
His brothers, Patrick, and Jonathan, also play basketball.
Patrick, 23, is a redshirt senior at Iowa, while Jonathan, 17, is still in high school.
His mother, Margaret, was an All-American during her college career at Notre Dame.
Family has gone through difficult times
While the McCafferys are a decorated basketball family, they have also dealt with various off-court issues.
Jonathan McCaffery allegedly fatally struck off-duty National Guardsman Corey Hite in May.
Jonathan was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian at a crosswalk, which is a simple misdemeanor, and a non-jury trial is scheduled for next week.
The Daily Iowan reported Tuesday that Jonathan waived his right to appear in court.
Patrick McCaffery, a redshirt senior for his dad’s Hawkeyes squad, took an indefinite leave of absence to address his mental health in January.
He said he had been dealing with anxiety that had been at a level it impacted his preparation and performance.
Before that, Patrick went through a bout with thyroid cancer as a teenager.
During his freshman year at Iowa, he dealt with the “residual” effects of his earlier treatment, playing just two games his first year on campus.
He was granted a hardship waiver, which restored his freshman year of eligibility.
McCaffrey preparing to join Pacers’ staff
While his playing career may be over, Connor McCaffery’s time in basketball won’t be ending just yet.
McCaffery will join the Indiana Pacers coaching staff beginning in September, he told the Des Moines Register earlier this year.
As part of his role, McCaffery will help run the scout team and help with film study, along with any other tasks the coaching staff may need him to assist with.
“It’s a way in. It’s an entry-level job,” McCaffery told the Des Moines Register. “You’ve got to work hard and work your way up. That’s obviously what I want to do.”
