Sarah Steer/Getty Images
Caitlin Clark was selected by the Indiana Fever with the first pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
CNN
—
The excitement of watching Caitlin Clark play in the WNBA is palpable. And tonight, that moment finally arrived.
The 22-year-old was drafted by the Indiana Fever with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft earlier this month after a historic NCAA season with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
She's been at the forefront of a new wave of interest in women's basketball, and her arrival in the WNBA is a moment fans have been waiting for for a long time. Clark made his Indiana debut on Friday night in the Fever's preseason opener against the Dallas Wings in Arlington, Texas.
Ever since Clark's name was officially included in the WNBA draft, excitement has been building for her move into the league.
Clark developed into a nearly unstoppable scorer at the University of Iowa, setting countless scoring records in both the men's and women's games during his college career.
Such is the desire to see her in the WNBA, and the price of tickets to see the Fever. more than doubled Even before the draft, Chickpick told CNN in March that 83% of the Fever's total ticket sales for next season were sold after she declared her draft pick.Indiana was widely expected to take Clark with the first overall pick.
After the almost inevitable No. 1 selection, the excitement continued to blossom.
Her No. 22 Fever jersey sold out within hours of its release, breaking the sales record for a draft pick on draft night for any athlete in any sport, a Fanatics spokesperson told CNN. It is said that That record was broken a few days later by Caleb Williams, who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Michael Conroy/Associated Press
Clark's merchandise sold out quickly after being named to the Fever.
The Dallas Wings announced in early April that tickets for both teams' preseason games were sold out, with fans flocking to the College Park Center to catch a glimpse of the former Hawkeye.
Training camps have recently begun around the league, and Clark has already been seen on the court with his Fever teammates.
Social media clips from the Fever game show Clark making his trademark step-back 3-pointer to the delight of his teammates and winning his team's first half-court challenge of the season.
Although she came in with a lot of hype from those around her, the star rookie said her early experience in the professional game has helped her adjust to a different pace of play.
“It's obviously different, but that's what you expect when you start a new chapter in your life,” Clark told reporters. “It’s fast and the shot clock is fast, but it suits my game well.
“It's fast-paced, much faster than college. You have to think hard on Fridays, so you have to learn faster.”
She is the current WNBA Rookie of the Year and the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft, along with All-Star center Aliyah Boston.
The pair could be a scary proposition for opposing defenders as the team finishes 10th in the WNBA rankings (last place in the Eastern Conference) and missed the playoffs, looking to improve on last season's 13-27 record. There is.
Michael Conroy/Associated Press
Clark (center) and Boston (right) could be a tough tandem to stop opposing defenses next season and could be a fruitful long-term partnership for the Fever.
Boston, who averaged 14.5 points and 8.4 rebounds last season, said he wants to build on his promising WNBA debut.
“Coming into my second year, being able to hold (defenders) down a little bit longer and finishing a little bit better from contact than I did my rookie season is a lot better,” Boston said.
Friday's preseason game against the Wings will be the first of two Fever games, the second of which will be against the Atlanta Dream on May 10 in Indianapolis.
Indiana University will conclude the regular season on May 14th against the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena.
