With the Women’s NCAA tournament officially in the rearview and the 2026 March Madness fever now part of history, WNBA front offices are scrambling to finalize their boards for the WNBA Draft next Monday, April 13th. UCLA’s dominant 79-51 victory over South Carolina was the statement game of the year, catapulting Lauren Betts into the conversation as a locked-in top-five pick.
Even in defeat, the Gamecocks’ pedigree remains undisputed; this is a program that has reached four of the last six National Championships, winning two, and has become the primary pipeline for elite pros like Aliyah Boston, the 2023 first-overall pick for the Indiana Fever.
Drafting Defense: Will the Fever Pair Caitlin Clark with Raven Johnson?
While the Dallas Wings are widely expected to snag the No. 1 overall pick to pair with last year’s standout and Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, the most intriguing storyline sits at the 10th pick with the Indiana Fever. After a deep semifinal run last year, the Fever front office has been aggressive, securing their core by extending a core qualifying offer to star guard Kelsey Mitchell and a restricted qualifying offer to Lexie Hull.
But the real chess move could come in the draft. Multiple WNBA mock drafts now have Indiana targeting a player Caitlin Clark knows all too well: Raven Johnson.
The reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year is a tenacious, “lock-and-key” guard who was instrumental in South Carolina’s 2022 and 2024 titles. In that 2024 final, Johnson famously hounded Clark the entire game, picking her up full-court and forcing the ball out of her hands.
Although Clark managed 30 points, it took 28 attempts and came with four costly turnovers under Johnson’s pressure. The logic here is simple: iron sharpens iron. Putting the league’s most prolific scorer in the same backcourt as her collegiate “stopper” would turn every Fever practice into a war zone, ensuring Clark is battle-ready for what many are calling her “revenge season.”
The Clark Economy: FIBA MVP and the Jump to NBA-Sized Arenas
If there were any lingering doubts about Caitlin Clark’s health or conditioning heading into the 2026 season, those were buried in Puerto Rico. Clark recently led Team USA to a perfect 5-0 record in the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament, walking away with the MVP trophy. She isn’t just healthy; she’s playing at a level that makes her the most “must-watch” athlete in the sport today.
That popularity is having a massive impact on the Fever’s bottom line and the league’s logistics. Due to skyrocketing ticket demand and record-breaking merchandise sales, a staggering 39 of the Fever’s 44 games this season will be played in NBA-sized arenas.
This includes all 22 home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, a move that reflects the sheer scale of the “Clark Effect.” For fans, this means more accessibility and a playoff-like atmosphere every single night. For the Fever, it’s a clear sign that they aren’t just a basketball team anymore-they are a cultural phenomenon.
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