Belmont to Retire Jersey of Men's Basketball Legend Ian Clark

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University Athletics will retire the jersey of men's basketball legend and NBA Champion Ian Clark ('13), the athletic department announced Wednesday.
 
Ian Clark's No. 21 jersey retirement ceremony will take place at halftime of Belmont's Feb. 19 game vs. Northern Iowa.
 
Clark becomes the first jersey retirement of Belmont's NCAA Division I era – and the first jersey retirement in 35 years.
 
He joins Robert Barnes (No. 15) and Joe Behling (No. 54) as the third Belmont men's basketball jersey retired, hanging from the rafters of the Curb Event Center.
 
Clark ranks among the most decorated student-athletes in Bruin history.
 
A beloved ambassador for his alma mater, Clark embodied the can-do spirit and team-first attitude of Belmont University - proudly elevating the Bruins on an international stage.
 
The first four-time all-conference performer of men's basketball NCAA Division I era, Clark became Belmont's NCAA era career leader in points (1,920) and three-point field goals (340).
 
A two-time conference defensive player of the year, Clark as a senior in 2013 ranked among NCAA leaders in three-point field goal percentage and three-point field goals per game en route to being named OVC co-Player of the Year, Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention, Lefty Driesell Defensive All-America, Mid-Major All-America and Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Men's Basketball Player of the Year.
 
Clark was also a candidate for the Naismith and Lou Henson National Player of the Year awards and finished third in the National 3-Point Championships during Final Four weekend.
 
The Memphis, Tennessee native led Belmont to four consecutive regular season conference championships, three conference tournament championships, and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
 
Clark won 102 games at Belmont, as Belmont ascended to a perennial Top 50 program, ranking No. 23, No. 25, and No. 43 nationally his final three seasons (Ken Pomeroy).
 
The Bruins went 30-5 in 2011 and earned the program's highest NCAA Tournament seed (No. 11) in 2013.
 
After earning his degree in business administration in 2013, Clark was named Portsmouth Invitational All-Tournament Team and participated in Orlando NBA Summer League with the Miami Heat as an undrafted free agent.
 
From there, Clark was named Vegas NBA Summer League Championship Game Most Valuable Player, scoring 33 points in leading the Golden State Warriors past the Phoenix Suns.
 
In July 2013, Clark signed a two-year contract with the Utah Jazz, which began a successful six-year NBA career.
 
Clark spent part of the 2015 season with the Denver Nuggets before two historic and unforgettable seasons with the Golden State Warriors.
 
In 2016, Clark was part of the Warriors' team that set an NBA record with 73 regular season victories en route to the NBA Finals.
 
The following year, Clark and the Warriors won the 2017 NBA Championship in five games over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
 
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr once described Clark as one of his all-time favorite players to have coached.
 
Clark played for the New Orleans Pelicans from 2017-19.
 
The 6-3 guard played in 330 NBA games and 41 NBA playoff games.
 
His professional playing career continues in Australia, where he won the 2022 NBL Championship as a member of the Sydney Kings.
 
Clark was named 2024 NBL Sixth Man of the Year for the Melbourne United.
 
Clark is averaging 13.5 points per game this season for Melbourne United, playing with former NBA Champion Matthew Dellavedova.
 
Belmont tickets are on sale now at BelmontBruins.com/Tickets, in addition to Puckett's flex packs, single-game tickets and group experiences. Fans can also call or text 615.460.BALL (2255).

To become a Bruin Club member, contact Russell Grimm at (615) 460-5668 or russell.grimm@belmont.edu.

Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
 
Belmont University men's basketball has been a postseason fixture for the last two decades, including nine berths to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have won 20 conference championships since 2006 - third-most nationally over that span (behind Gonzaga and Kansas). Belmont has won 20 or more games in 14 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga, Kansas, and Oregon) and 19 or more games in 19 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga, Kansas, and San Diego State). Belmont is among select programs with two or more first-round selections in the NBA Draft over the last five years (Ben Sheppard, Dylan Windler). Belmont University men's basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 19 Academic All-America selections since 2001 and is the only NCAA Division I program to make the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) Honor Roll every year of its existence. Belmont is the only NCAA Division I institution in America whose men's and women's basketball programs have won 20 or more games in nine consecutive seasons.