Caitlin Clark admitted that she was a little nervous before being chosen with the No. 1 pick of the WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever, although it was no surprise.
“I've dreamed of this moment since I was in second grade, and it's taken a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs, but more than anything, just trying to absorb it,” Clark said.
The former Iowa star became a household name among basketball fans during his record-setting college career, and now he'll try to help revive the Indiana franchise alongside last season's No. 1 overall pick, Aliyah Boston .
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“The organization has one of the best post players in the entire world. My point guard's eyes light up with that,” she said.
The Fever Clark took had been a foregone conclusion since he announced on Feb. 29 that he would turn pro. Nearly 17,000 tickets were claimed to watch the draft at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of the NBA's Fever and Indiana Pacers.
Clark has helped bring millions of fans to the women's game with her signature half court logo traits and passing ability. The NCAA's all-time scoring leader was a big reason why a record 18.9 million viewers tuned in to national championship game, which Iowa lost to undefeated South Carolina. The Hawkeyes were also the national runners-up to LSU a year earlier.
Clark, wearing a white Prada jacket and skirt, hugged her parents and siblings and Iowa coach Lisa Bluder after being selected.
The drawing was held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in front of 1,000 fans, who bought all the tickets within 15 minutes of going on sale a few months ago.
Los Angeles picked Stanford's Cameron Brink at No. 2. He'll stay in California and give the Sparks a two-way player. The prolific scorer was also the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. The Sparks had to replace franchise player Nneka Ogwumike, who left for Seattle in free agency.
“When they called my name, a huge wave of emotion hit me,” Brink said. “I saw my mother crying and my father and it hit home.”
Brink, a prolific scorer, was also the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. The Sparks had to replace franchise player Nneka Ogwumike, who left for Seattle in free agency. Brink's godmother, Sonya Curry, is the mother of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry.
“I FaceTimed Steph five minutes before the show started and she said have fun,” Brink said. “He can share a lot of great advice since he's been through it. Make things like this fun because they can be stressful.”
Chicago had the third pick and selected South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso before the Sparks went back on the clock and selected Tennessee's Rickea Jackson.
Cardoso had a busy week, helping the Gamecocks win the national championship to complete an undefeated season. He participated in the team's championship parade on Sunday before traveling to New York.
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Dallas took Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon with the fifth pick. Washington drafted UConn's Aaliyah Edwards sixth before Chicago took LSU's Angel Reese at No. 7, pairing her with Cardoso.
“She's a great player and I'm a great player. Nobody's going to have rebounds on us,” the 6-foot-7 Cardoso said with a laugh.
Minnesota, which had traded picks with Chicago, selected Utah's Alissa Pili eighth.
Complete coverage of the WNBA Draft at CBSSports.com.
