WNBA world reacts to Caitlin Clark declaring for 2024 draft amid record-breaking senior year ft. Aliyah Boston
Caitlin Clark's senior year with the Iowa Hawkeyes has been spectacular. The guard has been scoring consistently and topped the NCAAW's all-time scoring record. She is now just 17 points away from surpassing 'Pistol' Pete Maravich's all-time college basketball scoring record (3,667 points). But now, it looks like Clark's good times at Iowa are coming to a close.
On Thursday, the Des Moines, Iowa native announced that she will be entering the 2024 WNBA draft. Caitlin Clark had the opportunity to spend another year in college like Paige Bueckers, but she has chosen against it. With this announcement, fans' and analysts' anticipation is through the roof as they wait to see her future home.
The entire college hoops community joined in to congratulate Clark, with former and current WNBA players also showing their support.
Indiana Fever holds the No.1 pick and with Caitlin Clark projected to be No. 1, there are hopes, even from future teammates, about her joining them:
Even official accounts on X, formerly Twitter, joined in the excitement:
On the other hand, fans are also pointing out the fact that South Carolina and Iowa fans will have to get along from now on since both their players are on the same team:
Caitlin Clark's expected impact on WNBA
One of the biggest positives that college basketball enjoys in general is its large and dedicated fan following. Ever since the rise of stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Juju Watkins, women's college basketball has seen a surge in attendance and viewership.
Iowa is reported to have sell-out crowds in all of its home games at Carver–Hawkeye Arena. At the same time, most of their away games are also full-house events, with ticket sale numbers setting records, as was seen with Northwestern.
The WNBA, on the other hand, does not enjoy this attention. Many have pointed out how the league has failed to promote itself, despite having exceptional talents. With Caitlin Clark set to join the WNBA later this year, the one question on everyone's mind is: Will she bring her huge fan following to a big league that desperately needs it?
At the same time, experts are also wondering if the WNBA will be willing to cash in on its upcoming huge talents – like Angel Reese, Cameron Brink and Caitlin Clark – and give its players what they deserve. Adding to this, the lower salaries in the league (around $74,000 - $250,000) analysts are curious to see how both Clark and the league will navigate the future.
Also Read: Indiana Fever hints at picking Caitlin Clark with No.1 pick after Iowa superstar's WNBA draft declaration