After the records and the madness of a historic season, Caitlin Clark adds one more line to its rich list of achievements. The Iowa point guard was selected as the first pick in the WNBA Draft on Monday and will play with the Indiana Fever when it resumes. Best scorer in NCAA history, Clark seems to have a bright future among the professionals and is already having a huge impact on ticket sales for next season, notably at the Fever who did not hesitate for a moment to attract his services.
It will be difficult for him to reproduce his 31.6 points average during his senior season. But her exceptional shooting quality and her creative qualities will make her one of the attractions of the WNBA season. She will team up with another sensation, Aliyah Boston, number one in the last Draft (14.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.3 interceptions, 1.3 blocks in 2023) to take the Fever to its past glory. Indiana hasn't reached the playoffs since 2017, with legend Tamika Catchings.
“ It is clearly the objective to get back into the habit of titles » announced Clark. “ It's a great basketball town. I couldn't have imagined a better association for me, a better place to begin my professional career with an organization that believes in women's basketball and wants to do things right. »
Behind Clark, interior Cameron Brink (Stanford) was also unsurprisingly chosen as second choice by the Los Angeles Sparks, also in the process of rebuilding. Brink, who could participate in the Paris Olympics with the American 3×3 team, notably thanked his godfather, a certain Steph Curry, while the two families have been alongside each other for years when the father of the Warriors leader, Dell, and Cameron Brink were teammates at Virginia Tech.
Leite and Lacan in the big world
The Chicago Sky, for its part, has built its racket of the future with Kamilla Cardoso (South Carolina) selected in third position, and Angel Reese (LSU), 7th choice, rivals at university. “ No one is going to be able to take any rebounds from us » laughed the Brazilian Cardoso, NCAA champion a few weeks ago.
The first round had very international accents since two French women were selected in quick succession. Carla Leite, 20 years old on April 16, was selected by the Dallas Wings in ninth position, just ahead of international Leïla Lacan (19 years old), who goes to the Connecticut Sun. The two players are playing this season in the Women's League and are shining: Leite is the sixth scorer and fourth assists in the championship (15.8 points, 5.5 assists) with Tarbes, while Lacan continues his progress with Angers, and finished the regular season best LFB interceptor.
ICYMI ⬇️
A thread of all three rounds of players who were selected in the 2024 #WNBADraft presented by @StateFarm pic.twitter.com/9d1WcRG3FK
— WNBA (@WNBA) April 16, 2024
