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Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever star and former Iowa Hawkeye legend, secured a place on The Athletic’s All-WNBA Preseason First Team as she prepares to kick off her second professional season. After a standout rookie year, Clark continues to solidify her reputation as one of the league’s top players.
Clark made quite the impact in her debut season, posting averages of 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Today, she earned a spot on the Preseason First Team for The Athletic, joining A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart and Alyssa Thomas:
Presenting The Athletic’s All-WNBA Preseason First-Team:
🟧 A’ja Wilson — @LVAces🟧 Napheesa Collier — @minnesotalynx🟧 Caitlin Clark — @IndianaFever🟧 Breanna Stewart — @nyliberty🟧 Alyssa Thomas — @PhoenixMercury pic.twitter.com/a5YnyTZWlE
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 15, 2025
Women’s basketball managing editor Shannon Ryan, reporters Ben Pickman, Sabreena Merchant, and Chantel Jennings, and Zena Keita of the “No Offseason” podcast formed the committee that determined The Athletic’s preseason awards.
The 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Clark helped transform the Fever franchise last season, leading Indiana to a 20-20 record and their first playoff appearance since 2016. Despite a first-round exit against the Connecticut Sun, Clark’s impact was undeniable, as she shattered several league and franchise records while solidifying her status as one of the WNBA’s elite.
“She knows the league now. That’s dangerous,” WNBA legend Sue Bird said regarding expectations for Clark’s 2025 season:
a beautiful sight 🤩
Caitlin Clark fadeaway corner three. pic.twitter.com/aCysDEHQYE
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) May 14, 2025
Last year, Clark set a new WNBA record for the most assists in a single season and established new rookie records for three-pointers and regular season points scored. Clark’s outstanding rookie campaign earned her a spot in the 2024 All-Star Game, where she tied the record for the second-most assists in the history of the event.
The rookie was a main reason for the WNBA’s viewership surge during the 2024 season, with 22 regular-season contests surpassing the one-million average viewer mark—a threshold not reached since 2008. Factoring in the WNBA Draft and the All-Star Game, a total of 24 league events hit seven figures in viewership last year, and Clark was featured in 21 of those events.
The Indiana Fever also played in all six games that set new WNBA viewership records for league television partners.
Caitlin Clark and the Fever begin their 2025 campaign on Saturday against rival Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky. Indiana will then play back-to-back games against the Atlanta Dream, starting with a home game on Tuesday, followed by a matchup in Atlanta on May 22.
