Money talks, and when it comes to sports, merchandise sales scream who has the real clout. Sure, awards shine a spotlight on what happens on the court-the dazzling stats and clutch shots-but it’s the fans, the ones who shell out for jerseys, who decide an athlete’s true legacy. You can chase championships all day, but if the crowd isn’t chanting your name or wearing your number, are you really a legend? Caitlin Clark gets it. The Indiana Fever rookie phenom has just rocked the basketball world, landing the second-highest jersey sales of any player in 2024, according to Fanatics.
She’s behind only Stephen Curry and ahead of NBA titans like LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum. Speaking of Doncic, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association recently hyped his move to the Lakers, where he’s already topping the league’s jersey and team merchandise lists. A big market like LA could keep him there for years , especially if he wins a ring. But Clark? She’s doing this from Iowa and then Indiana, and that’s what makes her story so wild.
Clark’s Surge: A WNBA Star Outshines NBA Giants
Fanatics, the online hub for official sports jerseys, dropped a bombshell with its 2024 report. Caitlin Clark’s Fever jersey didn’t just crack the top – it jumped to No. 2 among all basketball players, NBA and WNBA combined. Curry held the crown, but Clark left legends like LeBron and champions like Jayson Tatum eating her dust. Even young guns like Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama couldn’t keep up.
The NBA’s own shop rankings tell a slightly different story – Doncic, the Slovenian sensation, is the first international player and the first player not named Curry or James since Carmelo Anthony in 2012-13 to top the list. Curry and James are close behind in second and third place on this year’s list. But the broader scope of Fanatics shows that Clark’s appeal is unreal. At 23, she’s already the WNBA’s biggest draw-don’t confuse that with best player, because A’ja Wilson still has that down pat. But Clark’s fame is fueling the league’s growth. With her second pro season just around the corner, this is just the beginning.
Big markets can turn a good player into a household name – just look at Jalen Brunson. The Knicks guard is fifth on the NBA’s jersey list and third on Fanatics, ahead of LeBron and Tatum. He’s solid, no doubt, but New York’s glare probably helped.
Then there’s Luka Doncic, whose move to the Lakers vaulted him to the top of the NBA rankings, though he was still tenth on Fanatics‘ list from his Dallas days. Compare that to Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP who barely cracked the NBA’s top 10 and missed Fanatics’ entirely. Market size and buzz matter. But Clark? She’s in Indiana-not exactly a media mecca-and still crushing it. That’s raw star power, not just a lucky zip code.
WNBA Season Ahead for Clark
So where does Caitlin Clark go from here? Up, that’s where. The 2025 WNBA season is right around the corner, and she has every chance to keep her jersey flying off the racks. If she continues to drop bombs from deep and pack arenas, she might even give Curry a run for his money. Doncic will likely climb higher on Fanatics’ list this year, riding the wave of LA, but Clark has already proven that she doesn’t need a big market to shine. She’s got the skills, the swagger, and a fanbase that’s all in. Whether she’s the future of basketball or the present, one thing is clear: Clark’s name isn’t just on jerseys – it’s on everyone’s lips.
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