PHOENIX- As soon as Indiana Fever rookie star Caitlin Clark walked into the press conference room for her post WNBA All-Star Game media availability, she immediately proclaimed, “I'm on vacation!”
She elicited plenty of laughs from the assembled media, and would not reveal what her Olympic break plans were going to be. Clark has come into the WNBA during a time of unprecedented growth and attention, part of which she has been responsible for after a phenomenal college career.
But as she was asked about the growing popularity of the WNBA and how she feels being part of it all, she acknowledged that this is what the players who have built the league up have always deserved.
“It's super special and heavy for the players that have been in this league for a really long time, to have moments like these and opportunities like these because they deserve it. It's been a long time coming, but honestly I feel like we're just scratching the surface,” Clark said. “The new media rights deal, that's going to help. It's just day-by-day, year-by-year, it's only going to continue to get better and it's going to give people an opportunity to see how good women's basketball is from a professional level.
“For myself, I'm just very thankful and grateful and if I can help in any way, that's all I'm try to do. Just continue to bring people to want to support this game.”
Within the next two seasons, the WNBA is poised to add two new expansions teams. Beginning with the 2025 season, the Golden State Valkyries will begin play followed by a yet to be named Toronto franchise in 2026. The added roster spots will help give more players an opportunity and the new teams can help grow the game in new markets.
“That's only going to help the league grow. It's going to get more eyeballs, get us into new markets,” Clark said. “Everybody knows how good the talent is in the college level. You want to continue to get more of those players into this league because there's so many fans at the college level, and continue to bring those fans here.”
Caitlin Clark continues her Rookie of the Year campaign
When the WNBA season resumes in mid-August following the Olympics, Caitlin Clark will rejoin the Fever and continue her push for Rookie of the Year. At this point, she's locked in a tight battle with Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky. The duo were teammates at the All-Star Game and even connected on a play much to the fans delight.
Clark didn't score much during the All-Star Game, finishing with only four points on 2-of-9 shooting and 0-of-7 from the three-point line. But she dished out ten assists, giving Team WNBA a huge boost as the starting point guard.
Clark has played in all 26 games for the Fever so far at a little over 35 minutes per game. She's been averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.5 steals with splits of 40.5 percent shooting from the field, 32.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 89.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
With her spot as the starting point guard for Team WNBA at the 2024 All-Star Game, Clark joined Fever teammate Aliyah Boston in 2023 as the first two rookies to start a WNBA All-Star game since Schoni Schimmel did so in 2013.
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