Clark, Reese hope to carry over momentum
Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and a deep WNBA draft class hope the momentum they created lifting women’s college basketball to new heights carries over to the pros.
“We’re not just basketball players, we’re super impactful to the community, the people around us, the little kids that look up to us, and being able to also be nationwide, everybody knows us everywhere we go,” Reese said Monday night after the Chicago Sky selected the former LSU star with the No. 7 pick. “Our lives aren’t normal. We might get a little bit of normalcy going into the league now, but I’m just excited to be a trailblazer. I’m excited to be a part of history, and just continue to see the future, and I know it’s bright.”
They’ll need to perform on the court for that momentum to continue at the next level and boost the league, which is coming off its own strong year. The WNBA just had its most-watched season in 21 years, averaging 462,000 viewers per game across ABC, ESPN and CBS.
The potential impact of this draft class wasn’t lost on WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
“I would be remiss not to mention the incredible excitement and energy for women’s basketball that this group has helped build,” she said.
Clark, who finished her collegiate career as NCAA Division I all-time scoring leader, has helped bring millions of fans to the women’s game with her signature shots from the midcourt logo and dazzling passing ability. The Iowa star was a big reason why a record 18.9 million viewers tuned in to the NCAA championship game, which the Hawkeyes lost to unbeaten South Carolina.
“It’s still hard for me to wrap my head around,” Clark said of the ratings.
Clark, who grew up in Iowa, said after being chosen by the Indiana Fever with the No. 1 pick that she was happy to go to another basketballcrazed state.
“I can’t imagine a more perfect fit, a better place for me to start my professional career, an organization that really just believes in women’s basketball and wants to do everything the right way,” she said. “So I couldn’t be more excited to get there.”
The ticket site StubHub said it already has seen a huge surge in demand for tickets, with overall sales for the Fever up 13 times over last year’s start.