In the 2024 WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark was chosen as the top pick by the Indiana Fever. She will be joining forces with Aliyah Boston, Erica Wheeler, and Kelsey Mitchell on the court.

Among those accompanying Clark to the draft were her parents Brent and Anne Nizzi-Clark, brothers Blake and Colin, boyfriend Connor McCaffery, as well as her Iowa teammates Gabbie Marshall, Kate Martin, Jada Gyamfi, and coach Lisa Bluder.

The emotional scene unfolded as soon as the 6-foot guard’s name was called. Coach Bluder was visibly moved, seen shedding tears at the Clark family’s table, where Anne Clark offered her comfort. With this selection, Caitlin becomes the No.1  pick from Iowa in both the WNBA and NBA.

Caitlin Clark also shares the distinction of being the second top-5 pick in both men’s and women’s professional leagues, following Sacramento Kings’ Keegan Murray, who was selected at No. 4.

Adding to the excitement of the night, Kate Martin emerged as the unexpected pick, chosen 18th overall by the Las Vegas Aces. This marks the first instance since 2000 that two players from the Iowa Hawkeyes have been selected in the same draft.

Caitlin Clark has a historic draft night
The draft coverage on ESPN became the most watched, drawing 2.45 million viewers beating the 2004 WNBA draft, which was watched by 601,000 fans and saw Diana Taurasi go to the Phoenix Mercury.
Caitlin Clark achieved a remarkable feat by becoming Fanatics’ best-selling draft pick of all time within just two hours of the announcement, surpassing the previous record held by Trevor Lawrence.

Following her selection, there has been a noticeable surge in ticket prices for Indiana Fever games, prompting the Aces to relocate their matches to a larger venue to accommodate the influx of fans.

The Fever organized a free draft celebration at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with over 17,000 fans securing tickets. Additionally, the team’s Instagram following has surged by over 75,000 followers in the last week alone.

Caitlin Clark’s academic excellence was also recognized as she was named CSC’s Academic All-American Team Member of the Year for the second consecutive year. She graduates from Iowa University with a degree in marketing and an impressive 3.64 GPA.

Despite falling short of a national championship, Clark’s prowess on the court propelled the Hawkeyes to the Final Four twice, a feat not achieved since 1993. Her influence extended beyond basketball, drawing attention and viewership to the women’s game.

In recognition of her contributions, the Hawkeyes have announced their intention to retire her jersey number 22, placing her alongside Michelle Edwards (No. 30, 1985-1988) and Megan Gustafson (No. 10, 2015-2019) in the annals of the team’s history.