Caitlin Clark is at the top of the athlete world – as she has been for the past year. So, it makes sense that she was named TIME Athlete of the Year Tuesday morning.
Clark, between his stay in Iowa and on the Indiana fever in 2024, has captivated the sports world with his flashy 3-point shots and sneaky plays. She was named Rookie of the Year almost unanimously (obtain 66 votes out of 67) and finished fourth overall in MVP voting as the most voted guard.
“Historic,” Clark told TIME when asked to describe his past year. “…I was able to captivate so many people who had never watched women’s sports, let alone women’s basketball, and turn them into fans.”
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During his first year at WNBAClark broke a litany of records – both on and off the field.
Clark broke the WNBA single-season assists record with 336, led the league with 8.4 assists per game, set a new WNBA single-game record with 19 assists against the Wings of Dallas, broke the rookie assists record, broke the rookie scoring record, had the most 3-pointers made by a rookie, became the first rookie in Dallas history the WNBA to record a triple-double (twice), and the list could grow.
She received by far the most fan votes in the All-Star Game, had the most assists by a rookie in the All-Star Game, and nearly broke the overall All-Star Game assist record .
The Fever played a league-high 36 games on national television and averaged more than 17,000 fans to Gainbridge Fieldhouse per game during the summer. The Fever welcomed more than 300,000 total fans in 2024, breaking previous WNBA attendance records.
She also brought fans on the road in droves, as economist Ryan Brewer predicted that one in six tickets sold for WNBA games this year were Clark-related, according to one report. Previous IndyStar article. Brewer also projected that Clark was responsible for 26.5 percent of the league’s activity.
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While Clark only received around $76,000 from the WNBA during her rookie season, her lucrative endorsement deals have placed her on the list of the highest-paid female athletes in the world. Clark is expected to earn approximately $11.1 million in 2024, according to a study by Sportico, making her the highest-paid female basketball athlete and the 10th highest-paid female athlete in the world. That money comes from deals with Nike and State Farm (in which she stars in national commercials), Gatorade, Panini, Wilson, Hy-Vee, Xfinity, Gainbridge and Lilly.
Clark’s rise was a catalyst for the WNBA, but the league was already experiencing exponential growth before she entered the fray in 2024. Much of that growth is due to Black players, including the three-time MVP and Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson, New York Liberty MVP Jonquel Jones, and DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun.
Clark, as a white woman from West Des Moines, Iowa, in a predominantly black league, unintentionally became a flashpoint for some racially charged discussion around the league. Speaking to TIME, Clark wanted to put an end to these conversations.
“I mean I’ve won everything, but as a white person there are privileges,” Clark told TIME. “A lot of players in the league who have been very good have been black players. This league was kind of built on them. The more we can appreciate that, highlight it, talk about it, and then continue to make sure that brands and companies invest in the players that have made this league amazing, I think that’s very important. I have to keep trying to change that. The more we can uplift black women, it will be a beautiful thing.
This article was originally published on the Indianapolis Star: Indiana Fever Star Caitlin Clark Named TIME’s 2024 Athlete of the Year
