Iowa Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark is gearing up for the 2024 WNBA draft in Brooklyn, scheduled for April 15th, where she’s expected to be picked first overall by the Indiana Fever. Ahead of this massive day in her journey, she made a surprise pitstop on the set of Saturday Night Live, paying a heartfelt homage to some of the greatest female players of all time. After SNL’s Michael Che wished her good luck on her rookie season, she said,
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“I’m sure [my rookie season] will be a big first step for me. But it’s just one step for the WNBA thanks to all the great players like Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, Cynthia Cooper, the great Dawn Staley, and my own basketball hero, Maya Moore. These are the women that kicked down the door so I could walk inside.”
Clark’s SNL debut was arguably as impactful as her run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. She entered the fray after Che joked that the Hawkeyes were retiring her jersey and replacing it with an apron. Clark humbled the comedian with several jokes before her heartfelt speech and received rousing applause from the crowd.
Clark’s appearance on SNL ahead of the WNBA draft on Monday is a testament to her ever-increasing star power. The Hawkeyes superstar has created more buzz for women’s basketball than any other player in decades, and the world is eagerly awaiting the commencement of her WNBA career.
As for her reaction to Che’s joke, the whole bit was likely (and hopefully pre-rehearsed). Still, her comeback to his bit was beyond satisfying for just about every audience member watching. Given this fact, one can only imagine what it did for the athlete herself.
WNBA teams prepare for Caitlin Clark’s arrival
The Indiana Fever isn’t the only team gearing up to welcome Caitlin Clark to the WNBA. The Phoenix Mercury has already put tickets on sale for their first game against Clark and the Fever in June and has dubbed it the ‘The GOAT versus the Rook,’ alluding to Diana Taurasi and the Hawkeyes star.
Defending WNBA champions, the Las Vegas Aces, have changed the venue for their first game against the Fever in the upcoming season. They usually play their home games at the 12,000-seater Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay but will host Indiana at the 18,000-seater T-Mobile Arena to accommodate the hordes of fans who’ll flock to the arena to watch Clark in action against the reigning champions.
Clark has yet to even join a WNBA team, but the league is bracing itself for a rookie unlike any other in its history.
