Since being drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever out of Iowa this spring, rookie guard Caitlin Clark has been the main talking point around the WNBA.
She has been at the center of discussions involving the physicality of the league and whether or not she deserves the hype that has surrounded her. But while this has all gone on, Clark has remained focused only on playing the game of basketball. She is 12 games into her career and while the Fever haven’t been very competitive, Clark has shined on the court.
She has made WNBA history on multiple occasions so early into her new career and notched another mark on Friday. Clark became the first player in WNBA history to score at least 200 points and dish out 75 assists in her first 12 career games. She helped lead the Fever to a win over the Washington Mystics, to bring their record to 3-9 on the season.
Clark has made history after history, earning the title of the No. 1 pick. For the season, she is averaging 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. She is also shooting 32.7 percent from beyond the three-point line and 37.3 percent from the field overall. Clark has been putting on a show since entering the WNBA, but it has caused some to see her stardom in a bad light.
Some opposing players have called her out for, in their eyes, not being deserving of all the media frenzy that is around her, despite her presence helping grow the league. While Clark isn’t the only reason for the uptick in the WNBA’s popularity this season, she certainly has played a large role in it. Women’s pro basketball in the States has been on the rise for years, but needed one last push to help elevate it forward. Clark has been that and more for the sport, getting millions more people to tune into the awesome games.
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 07: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever passes the ball against the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena on June 07, 2024 in Washington, DC. Clark has made more WNBA… More PHOTO BY G FIUME/GETTY IMAGES
If she continues playing at this level, she will likely win the Rookie of the Year Award and possibly more honors. She is as special of a player as we have seen in recent memory and is absolutely deserving of all the attention she has received. Clark has done all of this while being poised and staying focused on the only thing that matters, which is basketball. She is a hooper at heart and simply just wants to play. For her, all the other noise is simply just that and she has done a good job at blocking it out.