As expected, Caitlin Clark will continue her career in the Midwest for the Indiana Fever.
On Monday night, Clark was selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, which drew 1,000 fans for the first time in league history.
The former Iowa State star, a driving force behind this year’s must-see NCAA women’s tournament, was all smiles as she joined league commissioner Cathy Engelbert on stage to accept her new team jersey.
She held up her navy, red and yellow jersey to the camera as she began a new chapter in her career.
The Fever, who went 13-27 last season and haven’t had a winning season since 2016, hope Clark’s momentum from his best collegiate career transfers to the league.
Clark played a huge role in the rise and record-breaking viewership of women’s basketball this past season.
She turned Iowa State into a must-see program, creating endless lines to watch her play and coining the sports world’s quintessential buzzword: the “Logo 3.”
She led Iowa to a 34-5 season, back-to-back national championship appearances, and had a record-breaking year, passing Pete Maravich at 54 for the title of all-time leading scorer in Division I history. did. record. Clark also led the nation in scoring with 31.6 points per game.
Not only was this appointment expected due to Clark’s talent, but the Fever agreed with the idea and pre-sold tickets for one game instead of two in 15 days.
Ticket sales spiked significantly in anticipation of Clark’s arrival.
Other players in the WNBA have foreseen the move as well, including the defending champions, who changed the venue for a July 2 game against the Fever to a larger arena to accommodate more fans. This includes Aces.
Clark’s first WNBA game with the Fever is scheduled for May 14 against the Connecticut Sun.
At Indiana, he will join 2023 No. 1 overall pick Aliyah Boston from South Carolina. Boston averaged 14.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game last season, earning him Rookie of the Year and All-Star selection.
Clark declared for the Feb. 29 draft rather than return to Iowa for another season due to COVID-19 protocols.
“This season isn’t over yet, so I still have a lot of goals to accomplish, but this will be my last goal at Iowa. I’m excited to enter the 2024 WNBA Draft,” Clark said at the time. ” I wrote.
