The 2024 WNBA Draft Class: Making Waves and Revolutionizing Women's Basketball!

After an intense March Madness, Women's College Basketball players have received much more attention. With a handful of them in the WNBA, the league has been flipped upside down.

If you've been following the WNBA, you're likely buzzing with anticipation about Caitlin Clark's impact. The Indiana Fever rookie is making waves with her presence, attracting brand deals and a massive fan base. Her influence is so significant that teams are having to change arenas. It's a thrilling time for the WNBA, and we're all eagerly awaiting what’s to come.

In past years, the conversation surrounding the WNBA has been their significant pay difference compared to the NBA. While this argument typically resulted in someone bringing up the WNBA’s lack of viewership compared to the NBA, this year has changed everything.

The Women’s March Madness tournament, a thrilling spectacle that captivated basketball fans and non-fans alike across America, was a game-changer. The Final Four teams battled fiercely for their spot in the NCAA championships, with LSU vs. South Carolina drawing in 12.3 million viewers and UConn vs. Iowa amassing 14.2 million views. The Women’s National Championships, the pinnacle of the tournament, set a new record with a staggering 18.7 million views as Iowa and South Carolina went head-to-head in a nail-biting showdown. Despite South Carolina’s victory, Caitlin Clark ended her final college season as a fan favorite and the top draft pick. Clark was drafted to Indiana Fever. The #2 draft pick was Cameron Brink, who landed with the Los Angeles Sparks. The third draft pick was Kamilla Cardoso, who was picked up by Chicago Sky. Other favorites included Angel Reece, Aaliyah Edwards, Nika Mühl, and Kate Martin.
 

With the draft announcements, the WNBA salary issue became a significant topic of conversation once again. The rookies will make around $76,000 during their initial years on the team. While regular players make an average of $150,000 to $200,000 a year, this is no comparison to the NBA’s average of $10 million a year for just playing on their teams.

Following the uproar of fans, the influence of the draft on the WNBA teams was evident, as they had to change arenas for their games, usually when Caitlin Clark was in attendance. Due to the high demand for the Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever game, the venue had to be upgraded from the Entertainment and Sports Arena, with a capacity of 4,200, to the Capital One Arena, which seats 20,356. This frustrated fans who had already purchased tickets before the draft, highlighting the significant impact of the players on the game venues, and this is a massive deal for the WNBA. The Las Vegas Aces have sold out every home game this season as of this writing, which is the first time they’ve ever done this. 

Even with the excitement surrounding Caitlin Clark, she was not announced as a team member for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This upset many fans, but Clark told reporters that she was happy for the girls who made the team since it was such a tough team to make.

As Clark's star rises, she's been offered a game-changing NIKE deal. This multi-year contract, worth a staggering $28 million, includes a signature shoe for the athlete. The decision on whether the shoe will be unisex or women’s is still pending, but regardless, this endorsement is set to pave the way for other WNBA players. Thanks to Caitlin Clark and the support of March Madness fans, the future of the WNBA is looking brighter than ever!