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Largely expected to be the number 1 pick for the Indiana Fever in the upcoming WNBA draft on April 16, Iowa Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark is a special talent who has rightly put the entire league on notice. The 22-year-old prodigy has been making a huge impact in the collegiate basketball scene and has split opinions despite becoming a household name through her talent alone.
Clark produced 31.6 points, 8.9 assists, and 1.8 steals per game for Iowa in the 2023-24 season, all parameters in which she was the category leader. She has put in extra work in the past few months and appears truly ready to take the WNBA by storm.
She is largely expected to emerge with the biggest-ever contract ever offered to a rookie as per the rookie scale for the number 1 pick in the WNBA draft this year.
5 Reasons Caitlin Clark will break Jackie Young’s record for biggest WNBA contract
#5 The talent
Part of the reason why a range of WNBA veterans have understated Clark’s ability to have the same impact in the league is that she is already producing a level of basketball rarely seen before in the WNBA. Caitlin Clark, through her three seasons in the WNBA, has demonstrated an extraordinary level of innate skill and talent that has led to some eye-watering numbers in the collegiate scene.
Jackie Young, who signed a $252,450, two-year extension at the end of her rookie contract with the Las Vegas Aces, produced 6.6 points, 4.5 assists, and .4 blocks per game in her first WNBA year. This means that Clark already has a threshold that she needs to cross in order to warrant an even bigger extension, something she looks completely capable of doing.
#4 Comparisons with NBA stars
The second most obvious reason is the fact that Caitlin Clark has already shown a level of skill that has warranted a range of comparisons with NBA superstars. Her shooting skills mean that she has already broken the 3-pointer record for a single NCAA season.
Clark’s generational talent means that she became the first player to score 200 3-pointers in a single season, and has 548 3-pointers during her time at Iowa. This means that while translating her impact to the WNBA might take time, Caitlin Clark only needs to continue the work in order to fulfill her potential.
#3 Increasing salaries in the WNBA
Another reason why she is almost certain to break Young’s record is the fact that WNBA, just like the NBA, has also seen an increase in overall salaries in recent years. Clark’s rookie scale contract is expected to result in a $76,535 salary for her rookie season, after which she will be eligible for an extension.
The fact that she is capable of putting up numbers that have never been seen before suggests that the only thing she needs to do in order to get a bigger contract is simply translate her game to the WNBA.
While that might pose challenges, much will depend simply on her ability to influence games despite the physicality and the better technical quality around her.
#2 Impact on Ticket Sales
Another aspect of Caitlin Clark’s rise is the way in which she has truly become a global icon even before becoming a WNBA star. Clark’s potential move to the Indiana Fever has led to a 136% increase in ticket resale prices compared to 2023, with the actual prices seeing a 91% increase since Clark declared for the upcoming draft.
Hence, just like LeBron James once did for the NBA, Clark has created a level of expectation and hype not only good for the Fever, but for the entire WNBA. That is bound to have an impact on the contracts she is offered as well.
#1 Determination to improve
While Caitlin Clark already has the talent, something she has given more than enough evidence for, she is also determined to improve and take over the league. Iowa’s associate strength and conditioning coach, Lindsay Alexander, recently talked about the kind of work Clark has been putting in, in a bid to ready herself for the big league.
Alexander talked about how Caitlin Clark always had a special talent on the basketball court. However, she has also shown a determination to improve her physical prowess and strength, which suggests that Clark is intent on fulfilling her unlimited potential. As it often happens in professional sports, generational talent, when combined with hard work, maximizes the player’s impact.
Caitlin Clark’s determination to work on her gifts and the physical aspect of her game means that the WNBA is right to take notice of the young superstar.
