Caitlin Clark, the all-time leading scorer in men's and women's college basketball, has been selected first overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
There was never a doubt that Clark, the star of the Iowa Hawkeyes for the past four seasons, would be the first off the draft board in this highly talented class. Now, the Fever have Clark and the 2023 first overall pick, center Aliyah Boston, leading the way.
Clark heads into her rookie season in the WNBA with millions of fans in tow, as she mesmerized the sports world to the point where legendary South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has already called her one of the best of all time in women's basketball.
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Caitlin Clark poses for a photo while receiving a gift from Tissot at the player hotel during the 2024 WNBA Draft on April 14, 2024 in New York, New York. (Melanie Fidler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Clark averaged 28.4 points during his four seasons with the Hawkeyes, including 31.6 points per game with 8.9 assists and 7.4 rebounds during his incredible 2023-24 senior season.
She broke LSU men's basketball legend Pete Maravich's all-time NCAA scoring record last season, among many other accolades, including NCAA tournament records en route to a national championship. Iowa ended up losing to undefeated South Carolina in the end.
CAITLIN CLARK'S LAST 3-WORD GOODBYE TO IOWA AS HER COLLEGE CAREER COMES TO ITS END
Clark finished his career with a total of 3,951 points, including 548 three-pointers made on 1,452 attempts for a 37.7% mark from beyond the arc.
It may not have been the way Clark wanted to end her career, especially after losing the national title game to LSU the previous season, but her contributions to women's basketball over the past two seasons have been impossible to ignore.
The national title game drew 18.7 million viewers to ABC's coverage with a peak of 24 million viewers during the game, according to ESPN. That's 89% more than last season and 285% more than the 2022 national championship.
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates during the second half against the LSU Tigers in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on April 1, 2024 in Albany, New York. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Additionally, it was the most watched sporting event outside of American football and the Olympic Games since 2019.
Of course, the Gamecocks achieving an undefeated season helped the ratings, but the “Clark Effect” was in full swing for months beforehand, and many hoped she could cap her career with a national title.
That stardom is expected to carry over to the WNBA, which already boasts numerous stars, including Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty, Kelsey Plum and A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, and Nneke Ogwumike of the Seattle Storm, among many. others.
“I know there's probably going to be a learning curve, but I've always had confidence in myself and that's always what I remind myself. You're not here by accident,” Clark told The TODAY Show before the draft.
“I think more than anything, I'm really excited. This is a dream. This is something I wrote on a piece of paper in second grade.”
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates after the win against the LSU Tigers during the finals of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament – Albany Regional at MVP Arena on April 1, 2024 in Albany, New York. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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The Fever will depend on Clark's abilities to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 next season. Indiana finished 13-27 in the 40-game regular season last year after finishing 5-31 and 6-26 the previous two seasons.
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