Just as everyone anticipated, Caitlin Clark is moving forward with her basketball journey in the Midwest, joining the Indiana Fever.

Monday night saw Clark being chosen as the top pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This draft marked a historic moment for the league, as it welcomed 1,000 fans into the venue for the first time ever.

Grinning from ear to ear, the former Iowa standout, who captured attention as a standout player in this year’s NCAA women’s tournament, took to the stage alongside league commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Together, they celebrated as Clark accepted her new team’s jersey, marking the start of her professional career in the WNBA.

Indiana Fever chọn Caitlin Clark làm người được chọn dự thảo đầu tiên trong WNBA Draft tại Học viện Âm nhạc Brooklyn.
Corey Sipkin cho NY POST

The Indiana Fever, who struggled with a 13-27 record last season and haven’t seen a winning season since 2016, are banking on Caitlin Clark to bring her collegiate success into the professional league.

Clark played a pivotal role in elevating women’s basketball, contributing to the record-breaking viewership the sport experienced this past season. Her presence turned Iowa into a must-watch program, drawing long lines of spectators eager to witness her talent firsthand. She even popularized the term “logo 3” within the sport.

Under her leadership, Iowa enjoyed a remarkable 34-5 season, making consecutive appearances in the national championship game. Clark’s individual achievements were equally impressive, as she shattered records, becoming the all-time leading scorer in Division I history by surpassing Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old record. Additionally, she led the nation with an astonishing average of 31.6 points per game. With such remarkable accomplishments, the Fever are hopeful that Clark’s winning mentality will spark a turnaround for their team.

The pick was expected not only because of Clark’s talent, but the Fever were feeding into the idea, preselling single-game tickets instead of two games for a 15-day stretch.

They have seen a big spike in ticket sales with the anticipated arrival of Clark.

Others in the WNBA foreshadowed the move as well, including the back-to-back defending champion Aces, who changed the venue of their July 2 game against the Fever to a bigger arena to accommodate more fans.

Caitlin Clark signs autographs before the WNBA Draft at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Clark’s debut game with the Indiana Fever is slated for May 14, where they’ll face off against the Connecticut Sun.

Joining the Fever in Indiana, Clark will team up with Aliyah Boston, the first overall pick in 2023 from South Carolina. Boston had an impressive rookie season, clinching Rookie of the Year honors and earning a spot in the All-Star game after averaging 14.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

Clark’s decision to enter the draft on February 29, instead of opting for another season at Iowa, was made possible by COVID-19 modifications that provided her with the opportunity to transition to the professional league.