Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, is set to make her highly anticipated league debut with the Indiana Fever when they take on the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The buzz surrounding Clark is palpable. She had one of the greatest collegiate careers in her four seasons at Iowa. She has the most career points ever in NCAA Division I history (3,951). Numerous records were shattered, including the most 3-pointers in a single season. Clark reached two national championship games and won National Player of the Year twice. She played in front of sell-out crowds and in games that set viewership records, most notably the women’s national championship against South Carolina, which averaged a historic 18.9 million viewers.
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Clark’s success on the court will bring a brighter spotlight to the WNBA. The Fever will play 36 of their 40 regular-season games this year on national broadcasts. April’s WNBA Draft averaged a record 2.446 million viewers, a 307 percent increase over last year, and it was the most-viewed WNBA telecast since 2000.
Clark joins an illustrious list of players drafted No. 1 in the WNBA. Tina Thompson, in 1997, was the first No. 1 pick in WNBA Draft history with the Houston Comets. Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Seimone Augustus, Candace Parker, Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson are among those selected at the top of the draft.
The pressure on Clark to perform will be immense. We won’t know the outcome until after her WNBA debut. But before Clark takes the court for her inaugural professional game, let’s look at some past debuts for No. 1 picks in WNBA history.
Candace Parker (2008)
The Los Angeles Sparks selected Parker with the No. 1 pick after being a two-time NCAA champion with Tennessee. She won two NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player awards and was the first woman to dunk in a NCAA Tournament game.
Her WNBA debut was historic. Against the Phoenix Mercury, Parker recorded a double-double — 34 points and 12 rebounds — on 12-of-19 shooting. Her 8 assists were just two shy of completing a triple-double. Additionally, Parker added two steals and one block.
It remains the WNBA record for most points in a rookie debut, surpassing the previous mark of 25 from Cynthia Cooper-Dyke in 1997.
The Sparks defeated the Mercury 99-94. With the game tied early in the fourth, Parker guided the Sparks to victory, making six critical baskets. It launched a career that etched Parker as one of the all-time great WNBA players. She was a seven-time All-Star, a two-time WNBA MVP and a three-time WNBA champion.
11 years ago, @Candace_Parker arrived in the #WNBA in historic fashion!
34 points
12 rebounds
8 assists
2 steals
1 blockSee Also2024 NFL schedule release, Week 1 odds, picks: Aaron Rodgers, Jets keep it close vs. 49ers in prime timeWith lottery behind them, the Raptors can get to work climbing2024 NBA Draft order: Complete list of picks as Atlanta Hawks win No. 1 selection in LotteryNFL Power Rankings: Which teams are best positioned to win the next Super Bowl?Check out her historic rookie debut 🏀 pic.twitter.com/0iyrHhmxYJ
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 26, 2019
Breanna Stewart (2016)
Before Stewart sent out emojis during free agency and joined the New York Liberty, she entered the WNBA after an accomplished college career at UConn. From 2013 to 2016, Stewart won four consecutive national championships and Most Outstanding Player honors, adding to the Huskies’ dynasty status in women’s college basketball.
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The Seattle Storm selected Stewart with the No. 1 pick. It was the second consecutive season Seattle occupied the No. 1 pick, with Jewell Loyd going first in 2015.
Stewart delivered in her rookie debut. Though the Sparks thumped the Storm by 30 points (96-66), Stewart showed she belonged in the league with a stellar performance. She put up 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, which is ranked third in WNBA history for a rookie-scoring debut from a No. 1 pick.
Stewart soared to unanimous rookie of the year status, averaging 18.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in 2016. Still playing in the WNBA, Stewart’s successful college career translated to the pros, where she is a two-time WNBA champion, two-time WNBA MVP and five-time WNBA All-Star.
GO DEEPERBreanna Stewart and New York Liberty seeking a 'higher ceiling' this seasonDiana Taurasi (2004)
Like Stewart after her, Taurasi was a cornerstone of UConn in the early 2000s. From 2002 to 2004, Taurasi won three national titles and two NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player awards. The hype surrounding the college star increased when the Mercury selected her with the No. 1 pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft.
Taurasi debuted for the Mercury on May 20, 2004, against the Sacramento Monarchs. Her first WNBA basket was a 3-pointer, 3:24 into the game. She finished with 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting, and she recorded three 3s.
The highlight of her debut was Taurasi converting a 50-foot bank shot at the halftime buzzert, wowing the home crowd. It foreshadowed Taurasi’s legendary career, which includes being the first player to score 10,000 career points, three WNBA championships, five scoring titles, the WNBA MVP and 10 All-Star Game appearances.
A fun @NBATopShot x @WNBA story:
This is the only highlight of @DianaTaurasi's first game and rookie season to exist online.
Google or YouTube "Diana Taurasi Rookie" — there's nothing.
We worked with WNBA archivists to unearth the footage.https://t.co/COgJMo67hH pic.twitter.com/kd7mLoOAP1
— Packrip Ewing (@PackripEwing) March 29, 2024
Seimone Augustus (2006)
Before four WNBA titles, eight All-Star Game appearances, three Olympic gold medals and WNBA Finals MVP in 2011, Augustus was a star at LSU. She was a two-time All-American and a Naismith College Player of the Year with the Lady Tigers.
Augustus made her WNBA debut with the Minnesota Lynx against the Connecticut Sun on May 23, 2006. She dropped 21 points on 7-of-18 shooting. For the season, Augustus averaged 21.9 points per game, a WNBA rookie record, finishing second in scoring to Taurasi.
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Maya Moore (2011)
Moore is one of the all-time greatest women’s basketball players. At UConn, she won back-to-back national titles in 2009 and 2010. A two-time Naismith College Player of the Year, Moore helped lead the Huskies to an undefeated season in 2009.
Her ascension to prominence continued when she entered the WNBA after the Lynx drafted her No. 1 in 2011. Moore joined an elite team of stars, which included Augustus, Lindsay Whalen and Rebekkah Brunson.
Moore dazzled in her WNBA debut, putting up 21 points, four rebounds and four assists. She went on to become an All-Star and won Rookie of the Year in 2011. The Lynx’s 2011 WNBA championship began a dynasty where Minnesota went on to win four titles in the 2010s.
Moore ended her WNBA career with four championships, six All-Star Game appearances, five first-team All-WNBA honors and WNBA MVP in 2014.
Caitlin Clark met her idol Maya Moore ❤️ pic.twitter.com/kqz9p9RZY8
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) March 3, 2024
Lauren Jackson (2001)
Jackson was an international star before arriving in the WNBA. She began playing for the Australian national team and Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) at 16. She won a WNBL championship with the Australian Institute of Sport and the Canberra Capitals before the Storm selected her with the No. 1 pick in the 2001 draft.
Her WNBA debut didn’t disappoint. She was the first No. 1 pick in WNBA history to score at least 20 points in her debut. Jackson tallied 21 points and six rebounds on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor. It laid the foundation for being one of the best international players to compete in the WNBA.
Jackson is a two-time WNBA champion and a seven-time All-Star. She is one of three players in league history to win three WNBA MVP awards.
Other notable debuts
• Sue Bird (2002):
18 points, 6 assists with the Storm.
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• Brittney Griner (2013): 17 points, 8 rebounds with the Mercury.
• Tina Charles (2010): 17 points, 10 rebounds with the Sun.
• Angel McCoughtry (2009): 15 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists with the Atlanta Dream.
• Tina Thompson (1997): 14 points and 5 rebounds with the Comets.
Required reading
- The Caitlin Clark Effect and the uncomfortable truth behind it
- Caitlin Clark for WNBA MVP? Why you don’t want to make that bet
- What could Caitlin Clark’s WNBA transition from Iowa look like?
- Caitlin Clark’s whirlwind WNBA Draft week just the start for the in-demand rookie
(Photo: Brian Spurlock / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Lukas Weese is a Staff Editor of News at The Athletic. Before The Athletic, Lukas was a freelance sports journalist, working as an associate editor at Sportsnet, an OHL reporter for the Toronto Star and had bylines in outlets such as ESPN's Andscape, USA Today, Complex, Yahoo Sports, GOLF Magazine, Just Women's Sports and Raptors Republic. Lukas also does freelance play-by-play broadcasting. Follow Lukas on Twitter @Weesesports
