A season ago, the Indiana Fever slowly began to turn a corner from a team that was once a likely W for opposing teams to a squad that was quickly ascending to one that oppositions couldn’t take lightly any longer. Adding 2023 overall pick Aliyah Boston to the fold quickly sped up that trajectory as Boston went on to win Rookie of the Year honors. Their seventh overall pick last year, Grace Berger, was named to the AP All-Rookie team.
Combine that with the likes of established veterans Kelsey Mitchell, and Erica Wheeler as well as Indiana’s second overall pick in 2022, NaLyssa Smith. They were just one piece away from a team that was competing for the most lottery balls to something more.
On Monday, the Fever got the final piece they were searching for when they drafted Iowa’s Caitlin Clark with the 2024 No. 1 overall. In the process, cemented what is sure to be a bright future for a franchise that is searching for their first playoff appearance since 2016.
with the first pick…
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) April 15, 2024
Caitlin Clark, guard, University of Iowa. pic.twitter.com/8gUOkK15tF
Clark was introduced by the Indiana Fever on Wednesday morning in their introductory press conference. She touched on her dreams coming true:
“I’m super excited to be here. This is a dream come true. These are the moments you dream of. … Like I said after I got drafted, I can’t think of a better place for myself to start my career. A place that loves basketball, supports women’s basketball, and an organization that does things the right way and has championship pedigree.”
New Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark
What the Indiana Fever Are Getting in Clark
In Clark, the Fever will usher in a guard that has proven throughout four years that whether it be from the logo, in transition and everything in between, good things happen when she has the ball in her hands. At Iowa, Clark averaged 31.6 points per game (ppg) on 45.5% shooting from the field. She was also doling out 8.9 assists per game. That last statistic could prove to be the most important in the upcoming season for the Fever as Boston and Smith combined for 30 ppg last season as one of the league’s rising frontcourts.
Fever head coach Christie Sides spoke after the draft Monday night. She pointed towards some of the many ways she sees Clark fitting into their system this season:
“Her shooting ability is what everyone talks about, her spacing ability but her passing, her I.Q. just watching her and her decision making coming off screens. We went through this offseason trying to figure out what we needed to change or fix. When you add her, she kind of fits right into what we were doing last year that’s going to free us up with somebody who can knock a shot down.”
Indiana Fever head coach Christie Sides
Whether it’s ball screen action, playing off the ball, or having Clark operate as a screener at times, Indiana’s offensive playbook is sure to open up this summer as they look to improve upon an 81 ppg average from 2023.
The Impact of Clark Going No. 1 Overall
During Monday’s post-draft presser, General Manager Lin Dunn reflected on her time as the GM of the Seattle Storm in ’01 and ’02. Dun was there when the Storm drafted Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird with back-to-back No. 1 overall picks. Something that she says doesn’t happen often but when it does, it can often lead to success:
“It doesn’t happen very often and so when it does happen and you can look back historically, it usually means that it leads to championships. I think this is the beginning of us getting back on track to us winning another championship here. When we were able to put Bird and Jackson together in Seattle, we were able to take off and I think that can happen here.”
Indiana Fever General Manager Lin Dunn on drafting Caitlin Clark
And with less than a month before the start of the 2024 regular season, Clark hasn’t had the chance to set many personal goals for herself. However, she knows that she wants to help Indiana make a name for themselves in the postseason once again.
“Honestly, I haven’t thought about it a ton. I think the biggest thing is we want to get back to the playoffs. We want to win a lot of basketball games and for myself, continue to be me, have a lot of fun, and give myself grace. I think everything else just kind of takes care of itself when you go about your business like that.”
Caitlin Clark on expectations with the Indiana Fever
Clark and the Fever open the 2024 WNBA regular season on the road against the Connecticut Sun on May 14th.
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