By creating space for herself, Caitlin Clark stands alone

A select group of NBA retirees often reminisce, saying, “Yeah, I played against Larry in ’84,” or “I played with Magic back then.” In time, WNBA players will say the same about Caitlin Clark—once her rivals move past their elbow-swinging frustrations. Eventually, they’ll take pride in having shared the court with her, realizing they weren’t overshadowed by her presence but rather illuminated by the spotlight she’s brought to the game.

Now that Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have exited the WNBA playoffs, narrowly falling to the more experienced Connecticut Sun, it’s time to assess her impact during a rookie season that felt like an asteroid strike. Clark shattered the court with new records—setting the WNBA single-season assist mark and establishing a rookie scoring record—while commanding TV audiences in the millions, even on NFL Sundays.

But statistics alone can’t fully capture her effect. Numbers can only outline her brilliance, not explain it. To understand Clark’s shockwave and why she captivated so many, you had to witness it. Clark didn’t just fill space—she *created* it, standing apart from the crowd in a way that drew every eye toward her.

Her magnetic presence had little to do with being a ponytailed phenom from the Midwest. It was her visibility on the court, the way she made new possibilities unfold with every possession. Fans had to keep their eyes locked on her, knowing that in any instant, something extraordinary could happen—whether it was a perfectly threaded pass slicing through defenders or an effortless, gravity-defying three-pointer launched from near midcourt. Clark’s game demanded attention because she played like she was creating new rules for the space around her.

In a league often mired in physicality and marred by inconsistent officiating, Caitlin Clark consistently found ways to break free, creating space in even the tightest quarters. A perfect example came late in Game 2 against the Connecticut Sun, when Clark slithered left and launched a smooth three-pointer, effortlessly netting the shot to give Indiana a 71-70 lead with under four minutes left. The Fever had trailed by 11, but in that moment, Clark carved out breathing room where none seemed possible.

Clark’s knack for parting the crowds and creating new pathways wasn’t just an individual trait—it permeated the entire franchise. She transformed a team that began the season 1-8 into a legitimate playoff contender. By working seamlessly with stars like Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, Clark helped turn the Fever into the league’s highest-scoring team after the Olympic break.

Reflecting on the season, Clark acknowledged the team’s growth. “This team won five games three years ago,” she said. “We’re a young group, a pretty inexperienced group, but we came together and had a lot of fun playing with one another. That’s sometimes the worst part—you feel like you’re playing your best basketball, and then it has to end.”

The Sun’s DeWanna Bonner, right, was playing her 82nd career playoff game while Clark was in her second.

At times, Caitlin Clark has felt like a total eclipse, overshadowing others, and you can’t blame some of the WNBA’s long-suffering veterans for being frustrated. The league’s decorated players must be tired of the non-stop attention she receives, as if she’s the only star to ever shine, when in reality, legends like Sheryl Swoopes and Cheryl Miller commanded millions of viewers back in the 1980s and ’90s. However, their influence wasn’t sustained on the same level—certainly not like Clark’s has been.

Clark’s season hasn’t just been long—it’s spanned nearly two years, starting from the 2023 NCAA Final Four, where she stunned audiences with a 41-point performance against Dawn Staley’s top-seeded South Carolina. By 2024, she had broken Pete Maravich’s all-time collegiate scoring record, and as she stormed through the NCAA Tournament, her audience grew to 12 million, 14 million, and then a staggering 23 million. Without a break, she leaped straight into her WNBA rookie season, where she immediately elevated the Indiana Fever’s national TV audience to numbers exceeding even NBA teams like the San Antonio Spurs, featuring phenom Victor Wembanyama, according to Sports Media Watch.

Comparisons to Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are unavoidable. Their arrival in the NBA in 1979 also shattered TV records because they transformed how the game was played—opening up space and changing scoring dynamics with their pass-and-shoot skills. They broke traditional molds, ushering in a new era of versatility and creativity, which Clark is doing now in the WNBA. Magic Johnson himself acknowledged this on X, saying, “Larry and I heightened the NBA’s overall popularity… The WNBA is now in a position to negotiate higher TV contracts and increase salaries for all of the talented players.”

Clark’s influence extends far beyond her personal success—she is raising the standard for the entire league, which still needs improvements in conditions and privileges for all players. Viewing Clark as someone who blots out other worthy talents in the WNBA would be a mistake. Her rise has brought more exposure to her opponents as well, with even casual fans discovering newfound admiration for players they hadn’t previously followed.

Anyone watching Clark face off against Connecticut on Wednesday couldn’t help but notice that the most clutch shooter on the floor was the Sun’s Marina Mabrey, or marvel at Alyssa Thomas’ brilliant midrange floaters as she put up 19 points and 13 assists. DeWanna Bonner, at 37, tied a record with her 82nd playoff game—another detail that might have gone unnoticed without the increased spotlight on the league.

Now that Clark and the Fever are out of the playoffs, attention will naturally shift to other teams and players. The audience might shrink, but it will be fascinating to see by how much. Though the court might feel a bit emptier without Clark, she has hopefully left behind a stronger interest in other players, allowing them to shine in a new light.