Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark had a phenomenal 2024 and she chronicled it in a multi-picture Instagram post on New Year's Eve. In the post, Clark shared several personal moments such as vacation with her friends, her appearances at events supporting her alma mater Iowa, and even professional moments such as her winning Rookie of the Year and being named Time Magazine's Athlete of the Year.
“My fav moments from the best year. Time to make 2025 even better,” Clark said in her post.
Clark's 2024 was undoubtedly filled with historic moments that transformed the perception of women's basketball and left a lasting impact on the sport's fandom.
As the WNBA Rookie of the Year, Clark made history as the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double. She also set new rookie records for points and 3-pointers. Her exceptional performance earned her the title of WNBA Player of the Month for August, and she was named a WNBA All-Star.
Her play with the Fever led the team to a playoff appearance against the Connecticut Sun, a feat many thought would take a year or two to accomplish with Indiana's struggles. For her stellar skills, Clark was named AP Female Athlete of the Year, joining an elite group of WNBA players who have received the honor, including Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo, and Candace Parker.
In her final year with Iowa, Clark broke the NCAA scoring record while leading Iowa to the national championship game. Although Iowa ultimately lost to Dawn Staley and the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks, Clark helped the viewership of the game reach 18.7 million viewers, helping to expand the reach of the sport.
Clark's rookie year in the WNBA also brought significant growth to the league. The Indiana Fever experienced a staggering 182% increase in overall attendance, and their game against the Washington Mystics set an all-time WNBA attendance record of 20,711.
Clark played a key role in boosting fan viewership for The W. According to ESPN, the full season, including the Regular Season, Playoffs, and Finals, averaged 1.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched season on ESPN platforms to date. This marks a 155% increase from 2023, with viewership among P18-34 and women increasing by 164% and 165%, respectively.
Caitlin Clark certainly left an undeniable mark on sports in 2024 and her legend is sure to grow in 2025 and beyond.