On Her Game by Christine Brennan
Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports
Released: July 8, 2025 | Genre: Nonfiction, Sports
-
A dramatic profile of Caitlin Clark and her record-breaking year in women’s basketball, the unprecedented media attention this national phenom has received, and the seismic effect she has had not just on WNBA attendance and TV ratings but on the way Americans view female athletes--by award-winning television commentator and USA TODAY columnist Christine Brennan.
A revolution has been ignited in women’s sports. Much like Tiger Woods’s arrival on the golf scene, what Clark has brought to women’s basketball is without precedent. Prior to entering the WNBA, she was the highest-scoring college basketball player--male or female--in NCAA Division I history, and her last college game with Iowa was the first women’s national championship final to outdraw that of the men. In her rookie season as the WNBA’s No. 1 pick, league sales are up nearly 100% and Clark’s team, the Indiana Fever, has emerged as the WNBA’s top-trending team with ticket sales more than ten times higher than last year, sold-out arenas coast to coast, and historic TV ratings.
Now, in On Her Game, we get an all-access pass to one of the most exciting and important young athletes our nation has produced. Drawing on extensive interviews and exclusive, behind-the-scenes reporting, national sports columnist Christine Brennan recounts the highlights of Clark’s magnificent rookie year as the Fever star sets social media ablaze with her stunning must-see feats. A supremely confident performer, Clark has stayed serene amid the whirlwind of attention, simultaneously handling rival players eager to challenge her as well as nonstop questions from reporters about the many issues that have swirled around her and the WNBA.
If there was any doubt before, there is none the Clark phenomenon is proving that female athletes can garner as much media attention as their male counterparts--and lucrative endorsement deals. Clark arrived as a sports and cultural icon fifty years after Title IX opened the floodgates for girls and women to play sports in America. Now, the historic interest she has received from journalists and fans of all ages is paving the way for female athletes across all sports for the next fifty years.
-
Christine Brennan got the idea for On Her Game after watching Caitlin Clark’s incredible performances at the University of Iowa. The moment that really grabbed her was Clark’s jaw-dropping, off-balance buzzer-beater against Indiana. Brennan realized that if a veteran sportswriter like herself couldn’t stop watching the replays, millions of other Americans might be just as captivated. On July 11, 2024, she received a book deal from Scribner without even submitting a book proposal.
REVIEW
⭐ ⭐ ☆ ☆ ☆
Brennan's self-aggrandizing defense. 🏀
Christine Brennan’s On Her Game sets out to chronicle the meteoric rise of Caitlin Clark, one of the most electrifying figures in women’s basketball. And in the book’s best moments, Brennan delivers just that: a clear, detailed, and enthusiastic recap of Clark’s college dominance at Iowa and her transition into the WNBA. For readers looking to revisit Clark’s jaw-dropping performances, record-breaking milestones, and cultural impact on the sport, Brennan provides a solid, if not particularly groundbreaking, overview.
Unfortunately, the book frequently veers away from its subject and reads like a running list of Brennan’s career accomplishments, as she seems determined to remind readers of her own role in the sports media landscape. The narrative is peppered with anecdotes about how she broke major stories, went viral on social media, or received praise for her coverage. The constant self-referencing only distracts from the central figure of the book and begins to feel less like context and more like self-congratulation.
The final third of the book shifts even further, as Brennan spends significant time defending herself against critics and controversies. While some readers might find this behind-the-scenes view of sports media intriguing, it feels out of place in what is marketed as a book about Caitlin Clark. It becomes more of a personal justification than a continuation of Clark’s story. Instead of closing with an insightful reflection on Clark’s impact or future, the book ends on a defensive note that undercuts its strongest material.
In the end, On Her Game is part biography and part media defense. It’s an uneven mix that occasionally hits the mark but too often loses focus. Caitlin Clark’s journey deserves the spotlight; unfortunately, Brennan too often steps in front of it.
