What has been expected for months is now official: Caitlin Clark is on her way to the Indiana Fever.
The Fever officially selected Clark with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft on Monday night in New York. The two-time National Player of the Year is now the first Iowa Hawkeyes player, male or female, to ever be selected with the top pick in the draft.
Clark has long been expected to be the first pick in the draft, and it's easy to see why. Clark set numerous records last season and led the Hawkeyes to their second straight national championship game — despite losing to Dawn Staley and South Carolina earlier this month. Clark became college basketball's all-time leading scorer, passing Chamique Holdsclaw and setting the record for most career NCAA Tournament points. She also made more 3-pointers in a single season than any other men's or women's Division I player, to name a few. Although she didn't win a championship – the Hawkeyes won three straight Big Ten tournament titles with her – she undoubtedly entered the conversation as one of the best college players of all time.
Clark finished her college career averaging 31.6 points and 8.9 assists per game, both of which led the country.
Perhaps most notable, however, is that Clark completely transformed women's basketball across the board. She helped bring more attention to the sport than anyone before her, and the Hawkeyes set three consecutive attendance records to conclude the season. Their national championship loss to the Gamecocks attracted a record 18.7 million viewers. The game, which peaked at 24 million viewers, was the most-watched basketball game of any level since 2019. It also surpassed the men's national championship game between UConn and Purdue by nearly 4 million viewers.
Of course, both the WNBA and the Fever were fully prepared for their arrival. The Fever will broadcast 36 of their 40 regular-season games on national television this summer, and the teams have been marketing games against Clark for some time.
It's finally official. Caitlin Clark is a member of the Indiana Fever. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Clark will now turn her attention to the WNBA, where she will be tasked with helping the Fever turn around their organization. The Fever haven't had a winning record since 2015 and haven't made the playoffs since 2016. Since their last postseason berth, the Fever have posted double-digit wins in a single season just twice – one of which was last year's 13-27 campaign. While she likely won't be as dominant in the pros as she was in college, Clark will be able to immediately team up with former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston in what will undoubtedly be a very entertaining duo to watch.
Regardless of how things are going on the court, Clark is already one of the most popular players in the entire WNBA, and she hasn't played a single game yet.
WNBA Draft: First Round Picks
After the Fever picked Clark, here's how the rest of the entire round performed.
1. Indiana Fever | Caitlin Clark, Iowa
2. Los Angeles Sparks | Cameron Brink, Stanford
3. Chicago Sky | Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
4. Los Angeles Sparks | Rickea Jackson, Tennessee
5. Dallas Wings | Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State
6. Washington Mystics | Aaliyah Edwards, UConn
7. Chicago Sky | Angel Reese, LSU
8. Minnesota Lynx | Alissa Pili, Utah
9. Dallas Wings | Carla Leite, France
10. Connecticut Sun | Leila Lacan, France
11. New York Freedom | Marquesha Davis, Ole Miss
12. Atlanta Dream | Nyadiev Pooch, Australia
Iowa's Kate Martin was drafted by the Aces in the second round
Clark wasn't the only Hawkeyes player selected in the draft Monday night.
Teammate Kate Martin was selected 18th overall by the Las Vegas Aces, sparking celebrations at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Martin was in the crowd with other Hawkeyes players and coach Lisa Bluder to support Clark, then ran to the floor after her name was called.
“I was here to support Caitlin, but I was hoping my name would be called,” Martin said on ESPN. “All I wanted was an opportunity and I got it, so I’m really excited.”
This is the first time since 1998 that the Hawkeyes have selected two players in the same WNBA draft.
KATE. MARTIN. LFGGGGG😎😎🤍🤍
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) April 16, 2024
Martin was a big part of the Hawkeyes' success, which was largely due to Clark. She redshirted her freshman season after tearing an ACL in her left knee, but she has been a key figure on her team ever since. Martin averaged 13.1 points and 6.8 rebounds last season and scored just under 1,300 career points.
“I want to keep playing basketball,” Martin said in March, via The Des Moines Register. “I hope I get the opportunity to take part in a training camp. Or I hope I get drafted. I don't know it. I hope I can do that.”
While she will almost certainly coach at some point, Martin's playing career isn't over yet.
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