Athlete in the Sportlight

With the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, The Indiana Fever selected Caitlin Clark out of Iowa. Before the draft, Clark was already driving an uptick in ticket sales for the Indiana Fever before she was even drafted, which is a showcase of popularity surrounding the basketball star. 

Outside of the Basketball world, Caitlin Clark made an appearance on the comedy series, Saturday Night Live. “I don’t get nervous for basketball games.” “But going in front of a live audience on national television, doing something outside of your comfort zone, is a little scary. My heart was pounding out of my chest” is what Caitlin Clark said while being on the Today show which is a news source.

Will Caitlin Clark be on the Women’s U.S. national team?

Her resume stands for itself as she finished her collegiate career as the All- time Division 1 NCAA leader in points for both men’s and women’s basketball and Iowa will also retire Clark’s no.22.

“She’s definitely more prominent in the media but I don’t know much about her as a player. I just hear her name more and how apparently, she is the best female player,” Parker Putnam, a sophomore at New Hartford High School, said.

While on the Today Show, Clark said representing the United States would “’mean everything.’That’s one of my dreams as a kid. Growing up, you always want to be an Olympic gold medalist. Lucky enough, I’ve been able to play for a few junior national teams in their basketball system, so I know how special it is to represent the USA across your chest. Being able to do that on the highest level would certainly be a dream come true.”

Clark’s Playstyle

Clark is known for her hustle plays and intensity which is displayed on the court. She is a 6’1’ guard who uses her size and strength to her advantage. She had career per game averages of 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists, .5 blocks, and 1.5 steals, and shot 46.2% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the three point line. During Iowa’s run to the NCAA championship game where Iowa sadly lost, she increased her production on some parts of the stat sheet from her career per game as she averaged 30.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.7 assists, .5 blocks, and 1.7 steals and 42.8 from the field and 35.9 from beyond the three point line. 

Now she continues her professional basketball career bringing her intensity and playing to the city of Indiana for the Fever and possibly USA in the Olympics.