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Caitlin Clark was drafted by the Indiana Fever last season after an amazing run at Iowa in the NCAA, and she has been credited with helping to transform women’s basketball.
The sport, which had long been a punchline, is now skyrocketing in popularity, and its ascent is likely just beginning.
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Clark was named the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year and led the league in assists last season, yet she received a backlash of sorts from some fans who felt she was perhaps overhyped or being promoted too much.
This year, Paige Bueckers is the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft after helping UConn win the national championship just a few weeks ago. She is expected to bring even more fan interest to the league, as well as the Dallas Wings, the team that took her in Monday’s draft.
“Obviously Caitlin had an unbelievable impact on the court, and her adjustment was quick and very, very productive. You saw how Indiana got hot and how dangerous they were late in the year, and a lot of that was a credit to Caitlin’s quick adjustment,” Wings general manager Curt Miller said last week. “I think the other thing that we all took notice of around our league is something as simple as security for our players and how to navigate the increased viewership, the increased fandom and how our players deserve to be protected and amplified at the same time.
“It’s a players-first league. Our job all around the league is to create an incredible environment for these players.”
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Clark is an outside shooter extraordinaire who finished as college basketball’s all-time leading scorer — among women and men — and is also an outstanding passer and ball-handler.
Former Iowa guards Kate Martin and Caitlin Clark.© Joseph Cress/For the Register / USA TODAY NETWORK
Her impressive skills have been compared to those of Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors living legend who is arguably one of the top 10 players in NBA history.
With her, forward Aliyah Boston and guard Kelsey Mitchell, the Fever have assembled a promising squad that now includes power forward Makayla Timpson, the No. 19 pick in Monday’s draft.
Related: Angel Reese Sends Strong Message to Former LSU Teammate Aneesah Morrow During WNBA Draft
