Caitlin Clark's historic rookie season is only the start

“It is a good little style of what is potential for this group and for this franchise.”

That was how Caitlin Clark summed up her rookie season with the Indiana Fever, a crew that received 5 video games two years in the past and this season was within the playoffs and nearly pushed Connecticut to a Game 3 in the first round.

She might simply as simply have been summing up the influence of her rookie season on the WNBA. And what lies forward.

Clark’s first WNBA season was a revelation on the courtroom, with data and unprecedented accomplishments at each flip:

• Clark averaged 19.2 factors a sport, seventh within the league.
• She led the WNBA in assists at 8.4 a sport.
• She set a WNBA file with 19 assists in a sport.
• She was the primary WNBA rookie to file a triple-double.
• She obtained greater than 700,000 All-Star fan votes, essentially the most of any WNBA participant ever.
• Clark completed fourth in MVP voting.

Past that, she confirmed off unimaginable capturing vary (which is why the Fever borrowed some Stephen Curry units from the Warriors to get her open), was arguably one of the best passer within the league and can unquestionably win Rookie of the 12 months. She additionally sparked a turnaround with the Fever after they began 1-8 that led them to the playoffs for the primary time in eight years.

She appeared to set some sort of file each time she stepped on the courtroom, together with her remaining sport.

Attendance, viewership data set

Clark’s influence was even bigger off the courtroom .

Clark — together with a powerful and well-liked rookie class that features Angel Reese — sparked a breakthrough 12 months for the league with file attendance and tv rankings, issues Clark and her friends had achieved in school as properly. This season, 186,000 followers attended Fever residence video games, up 265% from the 12 months earlier than — and on the highway groups moved video games to bigger arenas to benefit from (and earn more money from) the bigger crowds that got here to see her.

Perhaps essentially the most telling signal of Clark’s influence on the league got here in her first playoff sport, a Sunday afternoon matinee on ABC going head-to-head in opposition to the NFL. That sport drew 1.8 million viewers — greater than the opposite three WNBA playoff video games that day mixed (just below 1.3 million). That 1.8 million is the most individuals to look at a WNBA sport for the reason that 2000 Finals.

A whole lot of these followers watched the sport sporting Clark jerseys — the Fever mentioned it noticed a 1,193% enhance in uniform gross sales 12 months over 12 months.

Clark’s rookie season gave off Jordan vibes (or possibly Magic/Fowl): Unequalled new reputation introduced from school sparking main progress that can change for the league. Clark set data on the courtroom — most factors scored by a rookie with 769, for instance —and extra importantly for the league put it in a a lot brighter highlight, with loads of new income flowing in due to her.

What Jordan (and Magic/Fowl) did was have an period of greatness and rising reputation that outlined a decade within the NBA, without end altering the league within the course of. Additionally they received a number of championships.

Clark has the potential to do all that, too.

“I am a troublesome grader. I really feel like I had a stable 12 months,” Clark mentioned. “For me, the enjoyable half is like I really feel like I am simply scratching the floor and I am the one which’s nit choosing each single factor I do. I do know I wish to assist this franchise. … I do know there’s a number of room for me to proceed to enhance so that is what excites me essentially the most. I really feel like I proceed to get rather a lot higher.”

Challenges of fast progress

That brighter highlight that got here with Clark and her fanbase additionally introduced some destructive penalties — quite a few WNBA gamers talked in regards to the fast rise in racist and misogynistic feedback they needed to cope with, notably on social media, and particularly from a phase of Clark and Fever “followers.” Connecticut star Alyssa Thomas discussed it after her Solar eradicated the Fever, as did Connecticut coach Stephanie White.

“Basketball is headed in an amazing path, however we do not need followers which can be going to degrade us and name us racial issues,” Thomas mentioned.

All that compelled the WNBA to place out a press release after the sport.

Clark beforehand denounced as “disappointing” and “unacceptable” using her title to push agendas of racism and misogyny. That is additionally larger than simply the WNBA, it’s tied to the stress and divisions throughout America proper now. Nonetheless, the WNBA has been a league that prides itself on inclusion, variety, backing progressive causes and help for everybody together with the marginalized, and a number of its long-time gamers and followers do not wish to give that as much as chase the almighty greenback.

Thomas is correct, the WNBA is headed in an amazing path.

All these followers and elevated rankings Clark and this rookie class introduced ought to raise participant salaries. Finally. This season, Clark made $76,535, in base wage as a part of her four-year contract price $338,056. (Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has mentioned Clark’s WNBA compensation, with sponsorship bonus and the like, will probably be nearer to $500,000, and that doesn’t embrace Clark’s private sponsorship offers with Nike, Gatorade and different nationwide manufacturers.)

What’s extra, in contrast to the NBA, Clark and her fellow WNBA gamers get no cash from all these rapidly-rising jersey gross sales with their names on them.

All of that can change over time — girls ought to and can come nearer to the NBA gamers’ 50/50 cut up of income with the league. You possibly can ensure that comes up from the gamers union in future negotiations as league revenues rise.

Clark, for her half, has all the time needed to deal with the basketball — and desires her followers to as properly.

“It was particular,” Clark mentioned of her rookie season. “A whole lot of issues this group achieved individuals that did not assume was potential after the beginning we needed to the season.”

It is also only the start of a legendary profession that can change the league.