The Indiana Fever owned the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft for a reason. Indiana went 18-58 over the past two seasons and won the Draft Lottery back in December. The Fever quite literally hit the jackpot, earning the right to select former Iowa star Caitlin Clark on Monday night.
Oh, how quickly things can change. One year removed from finishing 13-27 and last in the Eastern Conference, the Fever are the most bet on team to win the WNBA championship next season, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Indiana currently has +2000 odds to win their second WNBA title. FanDuel Sportsbook has also taken 10x more bets on Clark (+1200) to win the WNBA MVP than any other player.
So yeah, that Caitlin Clark effect is real.
Clark, who had already earned the title as the best player in the nation, outdid herself in her senior season with the Hawkeyes. In 39 games, she posted averages of 31.6 points, 8.9 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game. Clark shot 45.5% from the field and 37.8% from behind the arc. She led the Hawkeyes to their second consecutive Women’s Basketball National Championship Game.
With a pair of made free throw attempts against Ohio State in the regular season finale last month, Clark passed “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s 3,667 career points scored at LSU to sit atop the Division I college basketball all-time scoring list. Maravich’s mark stood for more than 50 years before Clark broke the record.
Caitlin Clark details excitement after being drafted No. 1 overall by Indiana Fever
She spoke with Holly Rowe of ESPN after holding up her new Fever jersey on stage.
“I got a little anxious there before the pick, but I think more than anything, just grateful and lucky to have my family here, my friends over there, coaches up here, so I think just enjoying the moment,” Clark said. “Like you said, like I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was in second grade and it’s taken a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs but more than anything, just trying to soak it in.”
More must-reads: