The WNBA’s groundbreaking season resumed after a month-long hiatus for the Olympics, marking a year of record achievements in terms of viewership, merchandise sales, and sold-out arenas. This success can largely be attributed to Caitlin Clark’s exceptional performance.
Despite some initial doubts, Clark has emerged as the clear frontrunner for Rookie of the Year and is currently the third favorite for MVP, trailing only A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty. The Liberty, with an impressive 9-1 record in their last 10 games, have become the first team this season to secure a playoff spot, solidifying their dominance with 13 games still to go.
In a standout performance during the Indiana Fever’s record-setting win against the Seattle Storm, Clark notched 23 points and handed out nine assists, breaking the WNBA rookie record for most assists in a season with 225, surpassing the previous record held by Ticha Penicheiro. With 12 games remaining, Clark shows no signs of slowing down. After the game, Clark and teammate Lexie Hull, who scored 22 points, addressed the media. When asked if she would be purchasing season tickets for her family, Clark humorously responded, “Those are pretty expensive. It’s like our entire salary to get those. I’m not kidding.” Clark’s comment, though lighthearted, highlighted the disparity in player salaries, especially in contrast to her lucrative $28 million, eight-year deal with Nike. With Fever season tickets starting at around $1,600 and Clark’s base salary set at $76,000, her remarks may reflect the ongoing conversation about WNBA player compensation. However, with the league’s growing popularity and a newly signed $2.2 billion television deal, changes in player salaries seem likely in the near future.
