Clark: LeBron supporting women's basketball is 'exactly what we need'

Iowa star Caitlin Clark is thrilled to see LeBron James throwing his support behind the women's NCAA Tournament.

Following the Los Angeles Lakers' win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night, James highly praised Clark and several of her peers, crediting the "icons" for the surging popularity of the women's game.

When asked about James' comments, Clark expressed her appreciation for having someone like him bring more attention to women's basketball.

"He knows what he's talking about," Clark said, according to Lindsay Schnell of USA Today. "He pays attention, he supports the game. He doesn't just talk about it, he really shows up and supports (us). I think that's the coolest thing, (to have) one of the greatest of all time really helping support and grow women's basketball. He's exactly what we need."

A record number of eyes have been on the women's tournament this year. Iowa's 94-87 win over LSU in the Elite Eight on Monday averaged 12.3 million viewers on ESPN, becoming the most-watched women's college basketball game in history.

Clark's Hawkeyes will make their second straight Final Four appearance on Friday night, facing Paige Bueckers and UConn in the semifinals.