The WNBA season has reached historic milestones in ratings, arena sell-outs, merchandise sales, social media interactions, and many other areas. Since the Draft in April, which was the most-watched in history with Caitlin Clark being chosen as the number one pick, the outlook has been promising. This optimism has largely been due to Clark’s impact, with this year’s All-Star Game being the most viewed ever, and the Indiana Fever (13-15) featuring in 14 of the 16 games that surpassed one million viewers.
Shining at college level and with the pros
Clark’s success in the WNBA is no surprise to those who have followed her career since her days at Iowa. She is the NCAA’s all-time leader in points (3,951) across both men’s and women’s basketball, holding over 15 records. Clark also reached two consecutive National Championship finals, first losing 102-85 to Kim Mulkey, Angel Reese, and the LSU Tigers, and then in her final NCAA game, falling to South Carolina 87-75. Along the way to that second final, she got her revenge against LSU in the Elite Eight, where Clark scored 41 points, dished out 12 assists, and grabbed seven rebounds in a 94-87 victory, which turned out to be Reese’s last game in the NCAA.
After that game, LSU coach Kim Mulkey had some words of admiration for Clark, which went viral again on social media this week. Mulkey highlightedClark’s leadership and how she elevates the play of those around her, stating, “She’s just a generational player and she just makes everybody around her better, that’s what the great ones do.” This sentiment is evident when looking at the Fever, who have already matched last season’s win total with 12 games still remaining.
Caitlin Clark wins Player of the Week
Clark was named AP Player of the Week with averages of 26 points and 9.2 assists in the two wins she had last week. These numbers have been crucial for the Fever, who, since the break, have secured back-to-back victories by more than 10 points-something they hadn’t achieved all season, suggesting that the Olympic break has paid off. They currently sit in seventh place in the league, where the top eight teams make the playoffs. With the struggles of the Wings, Sparks, and Mystics, it’s looking increasingly likely that Indiana will make the postseason for the first time since 2016, even with 12 games left to play.
Clark has recorded 11 games, including four consecutive, with 20+ points and 5+ assists. She also leads the league in assists (8.3) and ranks second in minutes played per game (35.2), while averaging 17.8 points and 5.8 rebounds. Her only “flaw” might be leading the WNBA in turnovers, though not all are her fault, and she’s been steadily reducing that number each game.
