It was the moment that changed the WNBA forever.
With the first pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, the Indiana Fever selected Iowa Hawkeye legend Caitlin Clark. From the moment she stood with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, Clark became the most anticipated rookie in the league's history.
In fact, you could argue that she was the most anticipated rookie in sports since LeBron James in 2003.
Teaming up with Aliyah Boston, Clark was immediately branded as the savior for the Indiana Fever. The franchise entered the season on an eight-year playoff drought, but now with a solid young core the Fever looked to change that.
It was a rough start to the season. Clark had a tumultuous debut, hitting four three-pointers en route to a 20 point performance. But the stat that stood out: turnovers. Clark racked up 10 of them-- not the kind of double-double she was hoping for.
Clark did, however, record her first 30-point game just eight games into her professional career-- a WNBA record. This showed tremendous improvement from game one, and the Fever would capitalize.
Clark improved, and so did the Fever
After going 1-8 in the month of May, Indiana started to turn it around in June. It started with a 71-70 win over Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky, where Clark filled the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. The Fever would later go on a four-game win streak in the month, and Clark would average 15 points, seven assists per contest in the 11 games.
Clark continued to give fans memorable moments: The first triple-double by a rookie in WNBA history, a six three-pointer performance in a thrilling victory over Dallas, and a 25-point, nine assist output in the Fever's season finale in the WNBA playoffs against Connecticut.
Her historic season secured the WNBA Rookie of the Year award, an honor that seemed destined from the beginning. When the season came to a close, Clark was a Top-10 scorer, led the league in assists, and shot 34.4% from beyond the arc.
Clark was also named both TIME Magazine's Athlete of the Year and the AP Female Athlete of the Year. She picked up right where she left off in college, cleaning house on major awards.
It was a tremendous start to her professional career, exactly what the Indiana Fever were hoping for on draft night.
And it's only just getting started.