The Fever might play in the playoffs for the first time since 2016

Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates after sinking a basket in a WNBA basketball gameAP

Since joining the WNBA in April, Caitlin Clark has positively transformed the entire league. Clark was the first overall pick in the most-watched WNBA Draft, attracting 2.4 million viewers. She also became the most-voted player ever for the most-watched WNBA All-Star game, which drew 3.44 million viewers, a staggering 305% increase from the previous year. Clark has been featured in 14 of the 16 games that surpassed one million viewers and has exceeded expectations with record-breaking ratings, merchandise sales, social media interactions, and arena sell-outs.

Clark’s New NBA Comparison

When it comes to comparing Caitlin Clark to an NBA player, Steph Curry is the first name that comes to mind due to her incredible three-point shooting and exceptional passing. However, since returning to WNBA action after the Olympic break, Clark has been making 62.7% of her shots from within five feet. In fact, she leads all guards in 2-Pt Field Goal %, and her conversion rate around the basket rivals that of some of the league’s best bigs. These numbers and her ability to finish strong around the rim have sparked another comparison, this time to LeBron James.

LeBron’s overall impact on the game has always been highly valued, and we’re seeing a similar influence from Caitlin. Clark is in the top 10 in WNBA scoring, ranks number one in assists, and leads all guards in rebounds and blocks. With these versatile skills, one might even compare her to Magic Johnson or Russell Westbrook, known for their ability to fill up the stat sheet. What’s most impressive is that this is Clark’s first season in the WNBA, and if she stays healthy, her potential seems limitless.

Clark was recently named AP Player of the Week for the first time in her career. Unfortunately for her team, they lost their last match against the Minnesota Lynx (22-8), but they have a chance to get back on track today with an away game against the Atlanta Dream (10-18). This match is crucial for both teams as The Liberty (25-5), Sun (22-7), and Lynx (22-8) have already secured their playoff spots, leaving only five available slots. It appears that the final two playoff spots will be a battle among the Indiana Fever (13-16), Chicago Sky (11-18), and Atlanta Dream (10-18).

With 29 games played and 11 remaining on the Fever’s schedule, Clark currently leads the league in assists with 8.3 per game, ranks second in minutes played with 35.3, ninth in points per game with 17.9, and averages 5.7 rebounds. She has gone from being the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year to being in the top three contenders for MVP, though it seems that award might go to A’Ja Wilson, who leads the league in scoring with 26.6 points per game and is chasing the second three-peat in WNBA history.