Kaitlyn Clark was picked by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft at No. Selects 1

Caitlin Clark officially became a professional WNBA player after being drafted by the Indiana Fever.

New York – Caitlin Clark She is officially a professional athlete.

Clark was the iconic face of women's college basketball Selected at No. 1 overall position by Indiana fever In the 2024 WNBA Draft This Monday night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

The 6-foot-0 guard and native of West Des Moines, Iowa, is entering the top league in the world. A two-time National Player of the Year, Clark finished her collegiate career with 3,951 points.The men's and women's are the most in Division I history, meanwhile Iowa Hawkeyes Consecutive appearances in national title games, first in program history.

With Loco his three-pointers, his excellent assists and his offensive power (he averaged 31.6 points last year and 28.4 points in his career) Destroying TV ratings and drawing crowds in and out of Iowa City And streaming sites along the way.

He has his own cereal box, State Farm commercials and last weekend appeared on “Saturday Night Live.” Now the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity awaits him.

The Fever hasn't appeared in the playoffs since 2016, the final season of the legendary Tamika Catchings. But last year, Alia teamed up with Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in Boston. The generational power couple seems destined to change the trajectory of the franchiseAnd maybe the league, for the next few years.

After Catchings' retirement, Indiana won the 2012 WNBA title Worst league winning percentage since the start of the 2017 season Despite picking up lottery picks in each of the last seven drafts. Four of those seven picks are no longer with the team.

There were signs of improvement last season with Boston, the franchise's first No. 1 pick, as they won 13 games, tying the most since Catchings retired. Now in the mix with Clarke, It looks like it could be coming for the franchise to snap the league's longest active streak without making the playoffs.

Clark, the only Division I player with 3,000 points and 1,000 assists, will have two equally young but elite post targets in Boston, Reign of the Year and 2022 lottery pick Nalisa Smith, Iowa's Monica Sinano and Chemie Hannah StulkeThe connections she, Boston and Smith could make in Indianapolis are exciting prospects for Fever fans.

Clark will also share the backcourt with two senior guards: Kelsey MitchellNo. 4 on the all-time NCAA Division I scoring list and one of the league's top 3-point shooters last season, aside from returning point guard Erika Wheeler.