Caitlin Clark selected by Indiana Fever with No. 1 pick in 2024 WNBA Draft

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BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Eight days after finishing one of many best collegiate basketball careers ever recorded, Caitlin Clark was chosen with the No. 1 choose in Monday’s WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever.

Clark is poised to not solely assist the Fever return to the postseason for the primary time since 2016, but additionally use her star energy to jolt the WNBA at a essential juncture in its historical past.

“I feel greater than something I’m simply actually excited,” Clark instructed NBC Information this previous weekend.

Clark achieved historic ranges of success over her 4 seasons at Iowa. She scored 3,951 factors — probably the most ever in NCAA males’s or girls’s Division I historical past. She additionally broke the report for 3-pointers in a single season, made two nationwide championship appearances and twice was named the Nationwide Participant of the 12 months.

These are simply a few of her accolades from a profession that was so prolific that Iowa introduced final week — not even per week after her school profession ended — it’s going to retire her No. 22 jersey.

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Clark usually carried out in entrance of sellout crowds and her video games shattered tv viewing information. South Carolina’s win over Iowa within the 2024 nationwide championship was seen on ABC by 18.9 million viewers, with a peak audience of 24.1 million — a 90 p.c improve from the 2023 title recreation and a 289 p.c improve from 2022. The sport broke viewership information that had been set solely days earlier than in Iowa’s Elite Eight matchup towards LSU.

Even Monday’s draft on the Brooklyn Academy of Music was anticipated to interrupt the occasion’s scores report.

Anticipation for Clark’s arrival to the WNBA elevated curiosity in Indiana. Thirty-six Fever video games — 90 p.c of its schedule — will air on national television this upcoming season, yet one more than the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces.

In keeping with ticket market Vivid Seats, as of Wednesday, the typical value for Indiana tickets elevated 190 p.c since final season. Ticket gross sales spiked quickly after the Fever received the draft lottery in December, although Clark had not but declared if she would flip professional or return to Iowa for a ultimate season of eligibility.

On Feb. 29, simply days earlier than Iowa’s ultimate regular-season residence recreation, Clark introduced her determination to enter the WNBA Draft. Inside minutes, Indiana, which had received simply 18 video games whole previously two seasons, reminded followers to purchase season tickets with a social media put up that learn, “Hop on board.” They continued to trace at her choice, tweeting as not too long ago as Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET, that solely 22 hours remained till the Draft — a reference to Clark’s quantity.

On Monday night time, the ready concluded as Clark joined the franchise, the place she’s going to pair with final yr’s No. 1 choose, reigning Rookie of the 12 months Aliyah Boston, from South Carolina. Clark’s superstar was outstanding all through the weekend, highlighted by an appearance on Saturday Night Live. However lengthy earlier than she thought of showing on comedy exhibits or promoting out arenas, she dreamed of enjoying within the WNBA.

In elementary faculty, she wrote down one in every of her future objectives: to make the WNBA. On Monday night time, that aspiration turned a actuality.

WNBA Draft first-round outcomes

Caitlin Clark, G, Iowa — Indiana Fever
Cameron Brink, F, Stanford — Los Angeles Sparks
Kamilla Cardoso, C, South Carolina — Chicago Sky (through Phoenix Mercury)
Rickea Jackson, F, Tennessee — Los Angeles Sparks (through Seattle Storm)
Jacy Sheldon, G, Ohio State — Dallas Wings, (through Chicago Sky)
Aaliyah Edwards, F, UConn — Washington Mystics
Angel Reese, F, LSU — Chicago Sky (through Minnesota Lynx)
Alissa Pili, F, Utah — Minnesota Lynx (through Atlanta Dream)
Carla Leite, G, Tarbes (France) — Dallas Wings
Leila Lacan, G, Angers (France) — Connecticut Sun
Marquesha Davis, G, Ole Miss — New York Liberty
Nyadiew Puoch, F, Southside Flyers (Australia) — Atlanta Dream (through Las Vegas Aces)