by Declan Walsh and Rudi Kinsella
Caitlin Clark, spotting her No. 22 jersey in the Indiana Fever’s locker room for the first time, speaks volumes about her recent move to Indianapolis.
The new superstar was drafted as the first overall by the Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft that took place earlier in April, the event pulling in a whopping audience of more than 2.45 million viewers.
Upon seeing her WNBA jersey for the first time, Caitlin confessed: “I was a little overwhelmed, I didn’t know what to expect,” then added, boasting a wide smile, “But it looks pretty awesome, I love it – 22 with Clark on the back.”
Smashing all-time NCAA scoring records and showcasing an unmatched collegiate career, Caitlin had the Fever’s front office struggling to find comparatives among her draft class, urging them to liken her to the renowned veterans of women’s basketball, reports the Mirror US.
Sharing her experience, the Fever team’s general manager Lin Dunn said: “Evaluating Caitlin Clark has been a really interesting experience for me,”, she continued reminiscing about her scouts and draft.
“[That’s] because I had the opportunity to scout and draft Sue Bird, who I consider probably the greatest point guard to ever play in the WNBA. So I’ve constantly compared Caitlin to Sue, and that’s a great comparison. Her [Clark’s] high basketball IQ immediately catches your attention, her passing ability too.”
The selection night for Clark was a spectacle of celebration. The WNBA Draft, held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, made history by offering tickets to the public for the first time, which were snapped up in a mere 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, fans in Indianapolis filled the Gainbridge Fieldhouse to the rafters to welcome Clark to the fold.
“It feels like we’ve been building up to this kind of moment for years now,” Fever play-by-play announcer Pat Boylan remarked. “And to have this kind of excitement around the Fever again, it’s a really exciting time.”
The all-access episode captured the jubilant scenes at the Fieldhouse and within the Fever’s front office as Clark was officially picked by Indiana, an occasion she described as “super special.”
Clark shared a warm embrace with fellow draftee Celeste Taylor, once a Big Ten adversary and now a defensive force to complement Clark’s natural scoring prowess. The next day, Indianapolis gave a roaring welcome to the Fever’s new draft class.
Clark is set to don her new jersey soon, with the Fever kicking off an epic 2024 WNBA regular season on May 14 in Connecticut against the Suns. She’ll then make her home debut on May 16 against the New York Liberty.
“I think the thing about myself basketball wise is that everyone knows what I’m pretty good at,” Clark said. “I love offense, that’s what I thrived on my entire college career, but I love making people around be better too and I think that’s something that I bring – a winning mentality and competing every single time that I get on the court.”
Originally posted on irishstar.com