By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Indiana Fever is looking to turn its franchise around after selecting the most celebrated collegiate superstar in women’s hoops during the recently concluded WNBA Draft on April 16, 2024.
As expected, the Fever picked IOWA superstar and NCAA women’s sensation Caitlin Clark, arguably the most talented shooter during the 2024 NCAA Women’s basketball tournament.
Clark, a two-time National Player of the Year awardee, is already expected to be picked first overall after several mock drafts and WNBA analysts put her as the unanimous draftee to be selected by Indiana.
After the announcement was formally made, Clark then became the first-ever player from the IOWA basketball program to enter the WNBA Draft as the first overall pick.
Clark raised her draft stock after putting up a series of crazy scoring numbers to help IOWA reach the 2024 NCAA Women’s tournament grand finals.
Despite failing to cap off their stellar season with an NCAA championship trophy after losing to South Carolina during the grand finals, 87-75, Clark’s unbelievable run in the tournament became one of the major headlines in women’s sports.
Clark wrapped up her 2023-2024 NCAA season as the no. 1 scorer in the tournament, putting up 31.9 points, 8.8 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Last February 16, 2024, the Iowa superstar made NCAA women’s hoops history after becoming the new all-time scoring leader of the tournament.
With 7:46 remaining in the first quarter of Iowa’s game against Michigan, Clark rewrote NCAA history after converting on a logo three-pointer from the left elbow.
After the three-pointer, Clark officially broke Kelsey Plum’s NCAA women’s record in points after amassing a total of 3,565 points.
Before her game against Michigan, Clark is still sitting at the no. 2 spot with Plum ahead with her 3.527 total points.
Clark’s skills will then be quickly tested when the WNBA season kicks off later this year. She will be looking to revive the Indiana franchise after the team failed to punch a ticket to the playoffs last season, only finishing with a 13-27 win-loss record.
