A young Caitlin Clark likely flipped through those pages every night, letting the simple pictures settle into her routine. She couldn’t have known then how closely that bedtime habit would mirror the persistence she’d need later. And now, with all the noise and attention around her and out of everything fame brought her, a small childhood story still wins without trying.

The name of the book? Winners Never Quit by soccer legend Mia Hamm. The Fever star recently revealed how it was her “favorite book growing up”. Now, Hamm has also responded to Clark’s praise, saying she felt truly honored. Opening up about her admiration for the Iowa star’s growth, she added how meaningful it is to inspire her.

“I’m very honored and humbled because I’m a huge fan of hers”.

“Just to see what she’s been able to do in such a short amount of time with the attention and the high level of expectations, but she’s created that for herself. So I feel very honored and excited to continue to see her grow,” Hamm continued.

This, however, isn’t the first time the two have shown respect for each other.

Just a week ago, Clark, who played soccer in high school and was also a forward like Hamm, revealed how much she adored and admired the soccer star as a kid. A feeling that persists to this day.

“The resilience (Hamm) had, that’s the whole story of the book. And what the USA Women’s soccer did for not only female athletes but women in general. And how they brought people together. Like that’s just been her ability, it’s just really to inspire people and to give back. And I don’t think I would be here if it wasn’t for them,” Caitlin Clark said.

Before Clark was selling out arenas and reshaping the women’s sport we know of today, Mia Hamm was doing the impossible in her own lane. She became the face of U.S. women’s soccer during a time when the sport barely had infrastructure, let alone a spotlight. Her accolades say enough, if not everything.

• Two-time Olympic gold medalist
• Two-time FIFA World Cup champion
• Former all-time international goals leader (a record she held for over a decade)
• No. 1 in USWNT history in career assists (144)
• 276 international caps, ranking among the most in U.S. history

But beyond the medals and records, Hamm’s true impact was cultural. She helped launch women’s soccer into mainstream America, inspired the 1999 boom, and became the blueprint for female athletic excellence long before NIL, superteams, or primetime broadcasts existed.

For a lot of young girls who didn’t have many athletes to look up to, including Caitlin Clark, she became that figure. That is exactly why Clark could barely get a word out after receiving a signed jersey from Hamm.

Back in 2023, Caitlin Clark received a U.S. women’s national team jersey signed by Mia Hamm. The jersey came with a note, which read, “So fun watching you play! Keep being you! Can’t wait to watch you change the world!”

Clark’s first reaction was a childlike “WHAT?” and understandably so. “I’m framing that,” she then added. “That’s so sick. No way.”

When the reaction video went viral, Hamm even sent an invitation to Clark to attend the 2024 edition of her golf tournament. Clearly, for Clark, Hamm’s story wasn’t just a bedtime read; it was a blueprint, a map to follow to become someone she looked up to and become the same inspiration Hamm is.

What is Caitlin Clark’s favorite book all about?

Mia Hamm’s Winners Never Quit! (2006) is a picture book loosely based on her own childhood. In it, little Mia is obsessed with sports, especially soccer, and spends her days kicking a ball around with her siblings and the neighborhood kids. She’s good at it too: the kind of kid who can place a shot exactly where she wants and hear her whole team erupt when it hits the back of the net.

But the story takes a turn when one bad kick ruins her mood. Instead of shaking it off, Mia gets upset, walks away from the game, and declares, “I quit.” But it’s not really about losing. It’s about not knowing how to handle the moments that don’t go her way. As the book puts it, she’d rather leave the field than deal with a mistake.

While the book can essentially be called a children’s book, it tells us an important message, as is the case with all. For someone like Clark, especially, it hits home.

Going into 2025, Caitlin Clark looked strong. She was coming off a great rookie year (19.2 points, 8.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds), and she played all 40 games. She’d never missed a game in college either, so consistency was basically her trademark. But her sophomore year went sideways fast. Things began to unravel in the preseason itself.

She ended up playing just 13 games, had to go through four different injuries, her numbers dipped, and suddenly everyone was asking whether she could bounce back. That’s why a book like this matters for her heading into 2026. It’s a reminder that one rough season doesn’t define you.

And that should give her a better headspace to do what she does best, that is, try.