Caitlin Clark Names WNBA Team She Didn’t Want To Play For

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Caitlin Clark Names WNBA Team She Didn’t Want To Play For originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Caitlin Clark will miss her 20th regular season game, and 21st overall, as the Indiana Fever host the Chicago Sky on Saturday evening. It marks the first time she has sat for multiple games during her college or WNBA career, having played every game with the Iowa Hawkeyes and throughout her rookie season.

Clark was selected by the Fever with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft after they won the draft lottery. Indiana had the best odds of winning the top selection in 2024 at 44.2%, followed by the Phoenix Mercury at 27.6% and the Los Angeles Sparks at 17.8%.

Clark revealed on Friday that there was one team she hoped wouldn’t land the No. 1 pick.

Clark Discusses Joining The Fever With Sue Bird

In the most recent episode of the “Bird’s Eye View” podcast, hosted by WNBA legend Sue Bird, Clark joined in to discuss her injuries and basketball career. When asked about the 2024 draft, Clark made it known that she didn’t want to play for the Sparks, who ended up selecting Cameron Brink with the No. 2 pick.

“I didn’t want to go to LA, but I wanted Indiana to get the first pick,” Clark said. “I think Indiana was a good spot for me to start my professional career.”

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in attendance against the Phoenix MercuryMark J&period; Rebilas-Imagn Images

Bird proceeded to ask Clark why she wanted to join the Fever, crediting teammates such as Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull.

“I’m a Midwest gal,” Clark added. “I think the franchise was in a place of having the type of core players that could help make me successful, too. Like, we have AB. Kels was here. Lex was here. And I think that was really attractive… So I knew for a while, and I didn’t really tell anyone.”

Why Not The Sparks?

While Clark didn’t give a specific reason for not wanting to go to Los Angeles, she did mention that the Fever’s roster was a big factor in wanting to join Indianapolis. But what about the Sparks’ roster?

Los Angeles ended the 2023 WNBA season with a 17-23 record, led by its lone All-Star, Nneka Ogwumike. However, Ogwumike departed for the Seattle Storm ahead of the 2024 WNBA Draft, leaving the Sparks with players such as Dearica Hamby, Odyssey Sims and Azura Stevens. Even Aari McDonald, Clark’s current Fever teammate, was in the Sparks’ rotation.