Caitlin Clark has emerged as a sensation after breaking several NCAA records in her short term as an elite collegiate basketball player. Clark’s incredible college resume makes her an imminent first pick for the 2024 WNBA draft, which will see her head to the Indiana Fever after she is drafted into the league. On that note, 3x NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, on the Gil’s Arena show, drew comparisons between Clark’s career to Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan’s, given her impeccable prowess in basketball.
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Clark is heading into a small market team like the Indiana Fever instead of the bigger markets in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York City. Drawing on her similarities to Kobe and MJ, Arenas maintains that Clark will remain a star despite her chosen destination. “It’s Indiana. Not [Los Angeles] Sparks, Not Vegas, Not [New York] Liberty. When her name is the Kobe, the Michael, it’s a top-notch name for your sport. And this name won’t be in a big city.”
On that note, Agent Zero compared Clark to LeBron James, who emerged as a star playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers for his first nine seasons before taking his talents to South Beach.“This is gonna be like LeBron James in Cleveland. The stars are gonna be stars. But, are you gonna be able to capitalize on it as a business?” said Arenas, pondering upon Clark’s potential to utilize her star power after establishing herself in the WNBA.
At Cleveland, LeBron James built his own identity and a brand around himself, which helped him capitalize on his potential and market in the league. James emerged as the Rookie of the Year in 2004 and won two MVP awards during his first stint with Cleveland. Fans hailed his return to the Cavaliers as a ‘return of the Messiah’ moment, with many claiming the superstar was back to cement his legacy at his home state’s team.
James did exactly what he intended, with the 2016 NBA championship being the crown jewel to nail his mark as a legend in the league and one of the greatest basketball players ever. Perhaps, after getting drafted into the WNBA by the Indiana Fever, Clark could help elevate the franchise’s position from a small market team to a legitimate force aiming to contend for the title, with her star power being one of the key factors influencing this drive for the team. However, whether or not she can live up to those expectations remains to be seen.
Caitlin Clark has declared herself available for the 2024 WNBA draft
Last week, University of Iowa star Caitlin Clark declared herself for the upcoming 2024 WNBA draft. Through a post on X, Clarke announced, “While this season is far from over, and we have a lot more goals to achieve, it will be my last one at Iowa. I am excited to be entering the 2024 WNBA Draft.”
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) February 29, 2024
It is quite obvious that Clark would be the first overall pick in this draft, as many predict Indiana Fever will draft the star as their potential draft pick. Indiana has received the top pick for the second time this year, having picked the young star Aliyah Boston last year, who earned the Rookie of the Year honors following the 2023-24 NBA season.
congratulations to Caitlin Clark on passing Pete Maravich’s all-time NCAA scoring record.
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) March 3, 2024
Clark is the favorite among fans to join the Fever, who haven’t had any playoff runs in the league since 2016. The prediction that Clarke will land in Indiana could hold some truth, given the subtle hints that the fever has been posting throughout this season. The team’s social media handle recently congratulated Clark for breaking Pete Maravich’s record, which suggests that the franchise holds significant interest in acquiring the NCAA superstar’s talent from now on for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
