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It’s finally official: two standout NCAA stars, Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink, are making the leap to the professional ranks after being selected as the top two picks in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Clark will join the Indiana Fever, while Brink will start her professional career with the LA Sparks.
Following their selection as the top two picks in the draft, Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink shared a moment backstage, where they expressed support for each other.
In a video shared by the official WNBA account on X (formerly Twitter), Clark's excitement was evident as she let out a scream of joy as she met Brink backstage.
The Indiana Fever selected Clark, who concluded her college career with impressive averages of 31.6 points and 8.9 assists per game, with their No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft on Monday night.
A two-time national player of the year, Clark became the first Iowa Hawkeyes player to be selected with the top pick in the draft.
Cameron Brink, a two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year recipient and three-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year awardee, will join the Sparks' frontcourt, which also features Monique Billings, Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson, Azurá Stevens, Virag Kiss, Stephanie Talbot and Li Yueru.
Caitlin Clark will make less than $1 million in her rookie contract
Caitlin Clark's WNBA contract may not be as lucrative as some might expect for such a high-profile player. She is set to make $76,535 in base salary this year as a rookie, as part of a four-year contract worth $338,056, according to Spotrac.
Despite the relatively low WNBA salary, Clark stands to earn significantly from endorsement deals. Her endorsements are valued at $3.1 million, including partnerships with Nike, Gatorade, Buick and State Farm.
Clark's rise to stardom began long before she broke the NCAA career basketball scoring record, as her exceptional shooting skills made her a household name. Her presence also helped boost TV ratings for the women's March Madness tournament to all-time highs.
Her popularity is further evident in her jersey sales, which sold out within hours of her being drafted.
The WNBA has scheduled the Indiana Fever, Clark's new team, for 36 nationally televised games this season, the most of any team.
Clark and the Indiana Fever are scheduled to face the Dallas Wings and the Atlanta Dream in the preseason on May 3 and May 10, respectively. Their WNBA season debut will be against the Connecticut Sun on May 14.
