The 2024 WNBA season launched on Wednesday, and there was an incredible amount of hype regarding the game between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun. The reason was simple. It was the first WNBA game for the WNBA number one pick of the 2024 draft, Caitlin Clark of Des Moines, Iowa.
It is fair to say that Clark is one of the most high profile WNBA players we have seen in years. She had an incredible National Collegiate Athletic Association career at the University of Iowa. When it was all said and done, Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history with 3951 points and 548 three-point shots made.
Is Clark one-dimensional?
On Wednesday, Clark made her much anticipated professional women’s basketball debut. Before the season started, she signed an eight-year contract worth $28 million with Nike. In the contract, Clark will be launching her signature shoe.
After her performance on Wednesday, the signature shoe may not come soon enough. While Clark was very respectable offensively (20 points, three assists and two steals), she was simply terrible defensively in her WNBA debut. Things went so bad for Clark, the 22-year-old rookie set a WNBA record for most turnovers by a player playing in her first game with 10. Clark also had a game-high four personal fouls and was a -13 in a 92-71 Indiana loss to Connecticut.
Is her Olympic spot in jeopardy?
It is safe to say that Clark is not a slam dunk to represent the United States at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Remember, the United States have one of the deepest talent pools when it comes to women’s basketball in the world, and Clark’s weak defensive play in her WNBA debut will not be considered highly among the United States coaching staff. Remember, there is an incredible amount of pressure for the USA to win gold. The United States have won a gold medal in women’s basketball at the last seven Olympic Games, and veteran, established players who make the fewest mistakes are considered over less established players in the WNBA.
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