Well, it looks like Caitlin Clark is trading in her basketball shoes for a microphone.
For now, anyway.
The WNBA starlet is trying something new this offseason and will join NBC Sports as a special contributor on their NBA broadcasts. This will be the first time the Indiana Fever star and No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft will try broadcasting in a regular capacity. NBC is launching “Basketball Night in America” and Clark will join them for a Feb. 1 game between the LA Lakers and New York Knicks.
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After an injury-riddled 2025 WNBA season, Clark’s only appearance on the basketball court since July was a short US team camp in the fall. After months of recovery from a quadriceps injury, multiple groin strains and an ankle injury, Clark seemed in good spirits at camp. She is expected to be part of her senior Team USA team her debut in March as the team travels to China for a FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament.
From there, the rest of Clark’s summer plans are still up in the air. After the WNBA collective bargaining agreement expired on January 9, there have been few updates on the status of negotiations. The league and the players seem to be at a standstill on several negotiating points, including revenue sharing, salaries, etc. Even though he does not yet have a contract, the The WNBA released its schedule for the 2026 season last week, previewing a potential 44-game season that would begin May 8.
Yet none of this happens unless a contract is made.
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Unlike many of his peers, Clark is also not playing in an off-season league at the moment. Unrivaled is in its second season in Miami, Athletes Unlimited will soon launch in Nashville and many other players are in the middle of seasons in Europe, China and Australia. It was rumored that Clark was offered a spot on Unrivaled, but did not accept the offer.
She’s not the first WNBA player to choose the broadcasting route as an offseason job. WNBA players like Candace Parker, Kia Nurse and Clark’s teammate Sophie Cunningham have chosen to take the broadcast route while the WNBA is not in season. It will certainly be interesting to see how Clark adapts to talking about basketball on camera instead of just letting his game show on the court. Aside from career press conferences and a few podcast appearances with the Kelce brothers, Clark has not made many public appearances.
Many people are probably wondering how she will perform on the show, since sometimes athletes have a hard time making the transition. It’s definitely a different way of talking about the game than she’s used to, and sometimes athletes (especially those who are still playing) are too vague and complimentary on broadcasts, afraid of stepping on their peers’ toes. WNBA players turned NBA analysts like Parker prove that it’s possible for things to go the other way and Clark instead provides in-depth game details that add to the broadcast. It’s hard to say which way Caitlin will lean – we know she loves the game more than anything, so maybe this will allow her to provide some interesting information and ideas during her moves.
And while Clark won’t be joining every NBC show, with the only dates announced so far being February 1 and March 29 for her to join the show, it could lead to more appearances. While Clark surely won’t be leaving basketball anytime soon, heading into only her third WNBA season in 2026, perhaps this is a dip into what she might want to pursue once all is said and done?
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NBC definitely got one of the biggest names in basketball to join their new show. Now, will it be one of the most interesting? Only time will tell.
