Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark (22) is stepping into the spotlight, bringing her immense star power from college basketball to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Ihe top pick in the draft, Clark shattered television ratings during her time at Iowa as a dominant sharpshooter. Now, she’s drawing even more attention to the WNBA ahead of her regular-season debut next week.
No stranger to media attention, Clark broke the all-time NCAA scoring record in her final collegiate season. Despite the buzz, she remains focused on the game.
“It’s just something you embrace, enjoy, and navigate,” Clark said on Thursday. “Maybe it’ll be different, maybe it’ll be super loud—whatever it is. But more than anything, it’s just an exciting opportunity. So, just embrace it and approach it that way rather than feeling overwhelmed.”
Clark will get her first taste of the Fever’s home crowd on Thursday when Indiana hosts the Atlanta Dream in a preseason matchup.
The six-foot guard has already won over local fans, receiving a standing ovation at a Pacers NBA playoff game last month. Fever ticket sales on StubHub are reportedly more than 13 times higher than last year
Aliyah Boston, last year’s unanimous Rookie of the Year and Clark’s new teammate, said the Fever are buzzing with excitement heading into the season.
“Having Caitlin here is amazing for this franchise and the people of Indiana because of the attention she brings,” said Boston. “Having fans and excitement around us is huge. Caitlin has opened so many doors for others just by drawing so many eyes.”
