Caitlin Clark is officially leaving the NCAA as one of the most dominant players in the history of college basketball. While she was unable to nab a national title, she has plenty of records to her name — one of the biggest being her 3,951 total points through four years with the Hawkeyes.
The points record smashes the previous mark held by “Pistol Pete” Maravich, who scored 3,667 in his career. Maravich’s record has stood for more than 50 years.
Thien-An Truong/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Clark has not only been one of the most talked-about players in the NCAA, but in the entire world. She has inspired many with her dedication, character, and passion — which have all been on center stage. With her college career over, she will now be pivoting to the professional level.
Clark is projected to go first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, which will place her with the Indiana Fever. The draft doesn’t begin until April 15, but it’s basically a given that she will hear her name called first.
Clark’s star power is likely to carry over from the NCAA to the WNBA, and teams are already starting to prepare for it. The Las Vegas Aces, for instance, are moving venues to ensure they have enough seats for when Clark comes into town.
The Aces normally play in the Michelob ULTRA Arena, which can seat up to 12,000. However, they have decided to move their matchup with the Fever on July 2 to T-Mobile Arena, which has an overall capacity of 20,000.
It might be a bit presumptuous to think the game could sell out, but that is just how big Clark is right now. Even though she is exiting the NCAA where she created her stardom, that excitement is going to carry over. People want to see Clark play, and many new and old fans could be lining up at venues to see her live.
Given the power of social media, and the coverage Clark has generated across the board, the Aces are seeing the proverbial writing on the wall. Instead of allowing their usual arena to potentially sell out, they would rather accommodate more people.
Clark is a huge draw, and the move to a bigger venue would also benefit the Aces by allowing their players to receive that much more exposure as well. It’s a smart business move for the team.
There is no telling if Clark can and will sell out WNBA venues, but when she presumably debuts with the Fever on May 14, the world will know. If this sets a trend, the Aces will look that much smarter.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.