WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert: Caitlin Clark 'most popular athlete in America'
Indiana Fever and former Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark took the WNBA by storm in her rookie season, and nobody sees that more than the commissioner of the sport.
Saying that Clark is "the most popular athlete in America," WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert explained her perspective on Clark's quick impact on the sport.
"It is a balance, but she's a generational talent. No league is ever about one player, but in this case, Caitlin brought tens of millions of new viewers into the W. And there's no denying that impact," Engelbert said on Thursday's edition of "The Bill Simmons Podcast."
"You want to balance making sure that you're also promoting your other stars, like an A'ja WIlson, like a Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier … that's why this year is sustain and gain. Sustain the momentum we had last year and gain even more new viewers."
In her rookie season (2024), Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, averaged 19.2 points, a WNBA-high 8.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, while shooting 41.7/34.4/90.6, helping the Fever reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Granted, they were swept in the first round by the Connecticut Sun.
Clark earned an All-Star nod, both All-Rookie and All-WNBA honors and claimed the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award; she also finished fourth in MVP voting. Next season, Clark and the Fever have 41 of their 44 scheduled regular-season games in a prime-time slot, which is a WNBA record. They open the 2025 season at home against the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
As for the other players whom Engelbert mentioned, Wilson is a three-time MVP and two-time WNBA champion; Stewart is a two-time MVP and three-time WNBA champion; Collier is a four-time All-Star and the reigning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Engelbert has been WNBA Commissioner since July 2019.
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