AIRBALL! Nikki Haley Bricks Name of Iowa Basketball Superstar Caitlin Clark at Team Tailgate Party

The Iowa Hawkeyes All-American is Caitlin Clark, not Kaitlan Collins from CNN. pic.twitter.com/HIRdHugXBN

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) December 30, 2023

No, this isn’t Nikki Haley’s biggest gaffe of the week. But this one is not likely to go over well with basketball fans in the Hawkeye state.

According to Iowa Gazette reporter Tom Barton, Haley — speaking at a tailgate event ahead of a University of Iowa women’s basketball game on Saturday — bricked the name of the team’s superstar, Caitlin Clark.

“What a team they are,” Haley said, according to Barton. “What a great coach. … Caitlin Collins is phenomenal.”

.@nikkihaley flubs Caitlin Clark’s name at “Lady Hawkeye’s Tailgate” event in Coralville. Haley will attend the women’s game this afternoon. “So we’re super excited” to see the Iowa women, Haley says. “What a team they are. What a great coach. … Caitlin Collins is phenomenal.” pic.twitter.com/fqp1H1Ii2Z

— Tom Barton (@tjbarton83) December 30, 2023

Yes, Haley appeared to mix up Clark — the reigning women’s college basketball player of the year and one of the biggest stars in women’s college basketball history — with CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins. Granted, it’s a very easy mistake to make. But still, imagine botching Michael Jordan’s name at a gathering of Chicago Bulls fans. While she hasn’t quite achieved MJ status, Clark is nothing short of a beloved icon among Hawkeye supporters. A women’s basketball record 55,000 fans turned out to watch Clark play back in October.

What’s more, Kaitlan Collins weighed in on the airball by Haley:

“I can assure you her free-throw percentage is much better than mine,” Collins joked.

I can assure you her free-throw percentage is much better than mine. https://t.co/J46hwf5Lq0

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) December 30, 2023

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