As soon as she was drafted by the Indiana Fever last April, Caitlin Clark brought championship-level hype to a place widely known as being a basketball hotbed. Clark‘s first season with the Fever did not disappoint; after a slow start, Clark led the previously-moribund franchise to the playoffs — and a strengthened roster around her wants to reach the WNBA Finals in 2025.
Clark’s impact on women’s basketball as a whole has been immense; she has been credited with transforming perceptions of the sport and sparking newfound interest in the WNBA as well as NCAA women’s basketball. Nowhere can that impact be felt more deeply than in Indianapolis, which is in thrall of Clark’s limitless range and decisive passing ability.
Clark honored on “317 Day”
Clark, whose NFL fandom and love for the Kansas City Chiefs are both well-known by this point, has even won over her adopted city’s football team. In a social media post honoring “317 Day” in Indianapolis (referencing the area code that encompasses the city), the NFL’s Colts shouted out “Naptown” (a nickname for Indy) with a graphic showing Clark, running back Jonathan Taylor, and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton — displaying the high esteem with which Clark is held already.
In her debut season, Clark won Rookie of the Year honors after averaging better than 19 points and eight assists per game — though she struggled with her shooting efficiency and, especially early on, with the physicality of the WNBA. However, Clark has grown noticeably more muscular during the offseason, in preparation to deal with the holding and grabbing from opponents, as she tries to vault into the MVP conversation in 2025 — while elevating the Fever into a true title contender.
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