Indiana Fever takes Clark with No. 1 pick
Sparks select center Brink second and wing Jackson fourth
From staff and wire reports
As was expected, Caitlin Clark was selected with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever on Monday night.
The Sparks, used picks Nos. 2 and 4 on Stanford 6-foot-4 power forward Cameron Brink with the second overall selection, and 6-2 wing Rickea Jackson of Tennessee at No. 4.
Clark, a former Iowa star, became a household name among basketball fans during her recordbreaking college career, and she will now try and help revive the Indiana franchise along with last season’s No. 1 pick, Aliyah Boston.
The Fever taking Clark had been a foregone conclusion since she announced on Feb. 29 she would turn pro.
Clark has helped bring millions of fans to the women’s game with her signature logo shots and passing ability. The NCAA’S all-time scoring leader was a big reason why a record 18.9 million viewers tuned in to the national championship game, which Iowa lost to unbeaten South Carolina. The Hawkeyes were also the national runners-up to LSU a year earlier.
The draft was held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in front of 1,000 fans, who bought all the tickets within 15 minutes of them going on sale a few months ago.
Brink averaged a double-double with 17.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.7 blocks as a senior. She was named the 2024 Naismith’s Women’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year.
In addition to her defensive prowess as a dynamic shot blocker on the college level, Brink could emerge as a stretch forward and a willing shooter from 3-point range while being an effective interior player who shoots nearly 85% from the free-throw line.
At No. 3, the Chicago Sky used the No. 3 selection on 6-foot-7 center Kamilla Cardoso, who led South Carolina to an undefeated season and the NCAA Tournament title.
Dallas at No. 5 selected 5-10 Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon.