NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark was selected with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever on Monday night.
The former Iowa star became a household name among basketball fans during her record-breaking college career, and she will now try and help revive the Indiana franchise along with last season’s No. 1 pick, Aliyah Boston. The Fever taking Clark had been a foregone conclusion since she announced on Feb. 29 she would turn pro.
Clark has helped bring millions of fans to the women’s game with her signature logo shots and passing ability. The NCAA’s all-time scoring leader was a big reason why a record 18.9 million viewers tuned in to the national championship game, which Iowa lost to unbeaten South Carolina. The Hawkeyes were also the national runners-up to LSU a year earlier.
The draft was held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in front of 1,000 fans, who bought all the tickets within 15 minutes of them going on sale a few months ago.
The intrigue really began with the second selection, which was held by the Los Angeles Sparks along with the No. 4 pick.
Stanford’s Cameron Brink, Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson and South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso have all been in the discussion to become the second player off the board. Chicago had the third pick before the Sparks were to be back on the clock.