The moment Caitlin Clark officially declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft late last February, she already virtually became an Indiana Fever, who owned the rights to the No. 1 pick overall in this year’s draft. The Fever won the lottery for the top pick last December, and when Clark learned of that development, she said it helped spark her decision to finally turn pro.
Caitlin Clark Hoped for the Indiana Fever to Win the No. 1 Pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft
During her introductory press conference for the Fever on Wednesday, Clark revealed her feelings when she knew Indiana had bagged the top pick.
Via Dustin Schutte of Sports Illustrated:
“Yeah, it definitely played a role. I actually played at the exact same time of the draft lottery on the night it happened. I’m not exactly sure who we were playing but I was hoping Indiana would get the first pick, it would have made my life a lot better. When I saw that, I was pretty excited.
But Clark also said that it was not the only reason behind her choice to forego her remaining college eligibility. Even though the Hawkeyes failed anew to bring home a national title amid a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, it seemed as though Clark was always going to turn pro regardless of the outcome of Iowa’s 2024 trip to the Big Dance.
“Obviously, that’s not every single reason why I wanted to leave and be done with college. I was ready for a new challenge and something new in my life. It felt like I had done everything had Iowa that I possibly could and we did a lot of amazing things. To be able to come here and stay in the Midwest and it’s only five hours from Iowa City, seven hours from where I grew up. You really can’t script it any better. It was really a no-brainer for me.”
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