NBA commissioner Adam Silver has praised Caitlin Clark for bringing “so much attention” to the WNBA following the Indiana Fever star’s heroics during her historic rookie season.

The former Iowa hero made a successful transition to the professional scene after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 Draft. After making the move to Indianapolis, she delivered on her billing with a record-breaking first WNBA campaign – as she earned the Rookie of the Year prize.

This came following a campaign that saw her tally up an average of 19.2 points per game, alongside a league-high 8.4 assists, as the Fever reached the playoffs. Catching the eye during a landmark term, Clark’s presence has coincided with the WNBA yielding its highest ratings in a quarter of a century, with games averaging 657,000 viewers in her first year.

Before a clash between the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, NBA commissioner Silver praised Clark’s impact on the WNBA Speaking at a press conference, he waxed lyrical about the Fever point guard’s box office credentials as the popularity of the women’s league continues to skyrocket.

Outlining the impact that the Rookie of the Year has had, he said: “Caitlin Clark set the world on fire, not just this community. She’s brought so much attention to the entire league. People are seeing how deep this league is, how good the qualify of basketball is… It’s wonderful to see.”

Likewise, NBA announcer Mike Breen has likened Clark’s star draw to icons including Michael Jordan and LeBron James in the men’s league. He said previously: “During the summer, when the Indiana Fever played (at Gainbridge Fieldhouse) with Caitlin Clark, the building was packed every game.

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver spoke in glowing terms about the star draw of Caitlin Clark

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver spoke in glowing terms about the star draw of Caitlin Clark ( 

Image:

David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)

“The TV ratings of the Fever this summer, for the local telecast, were higher than a lot of the Pacer games, because of Caitlin Clark. She’s doing rating-wise for the WNBA what Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Steph Curry have been doing for the NBA.”

Meanwhile, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert previously spoke about the wider impact of Clark and rookie peers such as Angel Reese in he exponential growth of the league. She said: “She’s clearly an unbelievable player. Came in with an unbelievable following, has brought a lot of new fans to the league

“If you look at our historic season in terms of our attendance, viewership – Caitlin, Angel Reese, too, Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink,” she continued, as she gave credit to Clark’s contemporaries, adding: This class of rookies, we will be talking about them a generation from now.”

Engelbert added: “No league is ever about one player. That one player could get hurt, or whatever. So I think it’s just to give recognition that in sports, people watch for compelling content and rivalries, and you can’t do that alone as one person.”