Caitlin Clark shattered Diana Taurasi’s viewership record for a WNBA draft when over 3 million viewers tuned in to see Clark selected first overall by the Indiana Fever.
This dwarfed Taurasi’s record of 600,000 viewers from 2004.
Notable other top picks included Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, Rickea Jackson and Angel Reese.
The WNBA Draft number is in:
2.45M viewers—nearly 5x the year-ago number (512,000) and +307% vs the previous record in 2004 (Dana Taurasi, 601,000 viewers). pic.twitter.com/WmXVeYG6HJ
— Sportico (@Sportico) April 16, 2024
“This is a generational class,” No. 4 pick Rickea Jackson said.
“Viewership is peaking. Women’s basketball is on an uproar. Everybody is tuning in. … I’m just grateful to be a part of this draft class. I feel like we’re just trending in the right direction,” she added.
Taurasi has been less than complimentary about Clark, choosing Paige Bueckers over Clark in a draft question and saying reality would hit Clark hard in the WNBA.
“The fan energy behind Caitlin is going to be a game-changer for a WNBA franchise,” UConn alum Sue Bird said on the “Bird & Taurasi Show.”
“I’m taking Paige, next question,” Taurasi said.
Clark led Iowa to back-to-back Final Fours and broke the NCAA women’s scoring record.
“Reality is coming,” Taurasi said. “There’s levels to this thing and that’s just life, we all went through it. … You look superhuman playing against 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.”
Their matchup on June 30 when Indiana plays Phoenix is anticipated to draw many fans due to Clark, as her fan popularity grows the WNBA’s viewership and profile.
