Caitlin Clark, a college basketball player on the Iowa Hawkeyes who has become a sensation over the last few years, recently declared she would be entering the 2024 WNBA Draft. The guard, who has one more year of eligibility, is the projected No. 1 overall pick. In her official statement, she states, “while this season is far from over and we have a lot more goals to achieve, it will be my last one at Iowa. I am excited to be entering the 2024 WNBA Draft.”
In her announcement, she thanked her teammates, coaches and the thousands of fans who have supported her.
Clark is considered to be one of the best players in college basketball history and holds the record for most points scored in NCAA Division I, with 3,650 career points. Clark broke the NCAA women’s scoring mark set by Kelsey Plum earlier this month. She also recently became the NCAA all-time leading scorer, surpassing Pete Maravich.
Clark also recently became the first player to win the Big Ten Player of the Year title three times in a row since Ohio State’s Jessica Davenport in her 2005–07 run. She is one of just four players to have won at least Big Ten Player of the Year honors, along with Davenport, Jantel Lavender and Kelsey Mitchell.
Clark is expected to be drafted by the Indiana Fever, who will have the top pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft for the second consecutive year. The Fever made two trips to the WNBA Finals and won a title in 2012 during their run of making the playoffs for 12 straight seasons from 2005 to 2016. They have a record of 58-174 since then, with three consecutive last-place finishes, and the longest current postseason absence in the league. Assuming they draft Clark, her playmaking and shooting skills will make her an ideal addition to the Fever. She has the ability to turn the franchise around and become one of the league’s top players.
Led by Clark, Iowa recently claimed their sixth Big Ten Conference Tournament title, its third in six years. The Hawkeyes won 94-89 in overtime against Nebraska on Mar. 10 in front of a packed crowd at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Clark’s looming exit puts the focus on the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, as Iowa has yet to win a NCAA title. Due to their success in the Big Ten Conference Tournament, they will automatically receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship.
Although the Hawkeyes have the game’s best player, they are not the favorites in this year’s tournament. South Carolina is currently unbeaten this season, and will undoubtedly be a tough opponent. In 2023, Clark led the Hawkeyes to the finals, only to lose 85-102 to LSU.
Despite not predicted to be first seed, Iowa will most likely have the most viewers. According to the Big Ten Network ratings, audiences for women’s basketball games, not including Iowa, were up an impressive 20% on the network over last season. Iowa games were up a staggering 186%, a statistic that is representative of Clark’s influence on the rising popularity of the women’s game.
