Basketball star Caitlin Clark picked 1st overall in WNBA draft by Indiana Fever

Doug Ferguson · The Associated Press

· Posted: Apr 15, 2024 7:47 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

Caitlin Clark was selected with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever on Monday night.

The former Iowa star became a household name among basketball fans during her record-breaking 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.

The intrigue really began with the second selection, which was held by the Los Angeles Sparks along with the No. 4 pick.

Stanford's Cameron Brink, Tennessee's Rickea Jackson and South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso have all been in the discussion to become the second player off the board. Chicago had the third pick before the Sparks were to be back on the clock.

Canada's Aaliyah Edwards, of Kingston, Ont., was also expected to be taken in the first round.

Latest on expansion

Meanwhile, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said she hopes to have 16 teams in the league by 2028, up from the current 12. The WNBA is adding a team next year, when a Golden State franchise in San Francisco will join the league.

Other cities or metropolitan areas that Engelbert said are in the running include Philadelphia; Toronto; Portland, Ore.; Denver; Nashville; and South Florida.

CBC Sports' Shireen Ahmed reported in March that MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum is seeking a WNBA expansion team through an individual holding company, with an announcement possible as soon as May.

Engelbert said she got calls last week from two other cities the league hadn't been talking to.

Golden State will get a chance to built its roster through an expansion draft.

"It will happen before the college draft and we'll share more details when we get closer to that," Engelbert said. "Talking to general managers and coaches and teams and owners, there will be an expansion draft this year and it will probably be in December."

Engelbert also said the league will once again pay for charter flights for the entire playoffs as well as for back-to-back games during the upcoming season that require air travel.