Caitlin Clark Puts the WNBA on the Map: Love It or Hate It but Don't Deny It

The 2024 WNBA season has so far shown us one thing, Caitlin Clark is indeed an exceptional talent.

The sensational rookie out of Iowa, through eight games now, has picked it up after an ugly start.

She is averaging 17.5 points and 6.3 assists per game and is fresh off her best performance of the season where she dropped 30 points against the Los Angeles Sparks.

While the dynamic guard is still navigating her professional career in the WNBA, the conversations surrounding her have been relatively on the negative side. Clark's talent is undeniable, and once she starts adding wins to her stat line, the critics and doubters will soon thin out.

Unnecessary Hate or an Abundance of Love

Players around the league have been vocal about Caitlin Clark's entry.

From the elder stateswoman of the WNBA, Diana Taurasi, to the current face of the league, Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson, everyone has had something to say about the Indiana Fever's young star.

The Phoenix Mercury star and former UConn standout, Taurasi, said back during the NCAA Final Four that she would instead take Paige Bueckers over Caitlin Clark, as she believes there will be an extended learning curve for Clark.

"Reality is coming," Taurasi said.

"There's levels to this thing. And that's just life. We all went through it. You see it on the NBA side, and you will see it on this side. You look superhuman playing 18-year-olds, but you'll come with some grown women who've played professional basketball for a long time."

Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson has also been vocal, saying that her race has influenced her ability to be marketable.

"I think it's a huge thing. I think many people may say it's not about black and white, but to me, it is," she said in an interview via AP.

"It really is because you can be top-notch at what you are as a black woman, but yet maybe that's something people don't want to see," she theorized.

Clark never made a statement about Taurasi's comments. The topic likely reemerged ahead of the Fever's matchup against the Mercury.

NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley has also been pretty vocal on the WNBA's treatment of Clark.

"You woman out there, y'all petty, man... Y'all should be thanking [Caitlin Clark] for getting you all a*s private charters. All the money and visibility she's bringing to the WNBA."

Many others throughout the basketball world have come to Clark's defense, further supporting the growth of the WNBA as a whole.

Chiney Ogwumike posted a lengthy thread about Barkley's comments on X.

"Every WNBA player I know supports this rookie class and is grateful for the spotlight & money that Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and co. are bringing to the W!" she wrote.

"Let's be very clear, we love Caitlin Clark...I think this narrative of everybody hating on her...knock it off. It's not there."

Numbers Don't Lie

Indiana has already played in some of the WNBA's most-viewed games of the season.

According to Sports Media Watch, Cailtlin Clark's pro debut's May 14th match against the Connecticut Sun drew in 2.12 million views.

Fever vs. Liberty back on May 18th drew 1.71 million.

Furthermore, the WNBA hit viewership on three networks over Memorial Day Weekend. The Fever's matchup against the Sparks on Friday, May 25th, had a 0.46 rating and 724,000 viewers on ION Television.

The Sun and Fever rematch on May 20th drew 1.56 million views, as with the Sparks' matchup against the Aces also drew in over a million viewers.

Clark's first win in the WNBA against the Sparks was not just a victory on the court but also a triumph in viewership. It drew the WNBA's fifth-largest audience of the season, a testament to her growing popularity.

Caitlin Clark is a rating draw. Each time she is on ESPN, ABC, or ION, all eyes are on her, as Clark's stellar play only benefits the league when it comes to drawing in audiences attention.

The Indiana Fever have played mostly in sold out arenas around the league, with some attendances reaching 17,000+.