"She's gonna put women's basketball on the map": Stephen A. Smith predicts 'real deal' Caitlin Clark's impact on WNBA

The impact that Caitlin Clark has had on women's college basketball is immense. The Iowa guard is known to draw full-house crowds in every arena she plays. With her declaring for the 2024 WNBA Draft, it is expected that she will bring her star power to the big league as well.

Speaking on the Caitlin Clark effect, Stephen A. Smith shared on First Take:

"She's [Caitlin] coming in understanding she's the package. Now she's got to live up to it. But the expectation is that she will. So all the things you see from her that extends beyond the court is somebody who is preparing herself and one would argue is already prepared to deal with all of that.

"She's the real deal... Caitlin Clark, oh my God, the marketing opportunities coming her way.. she's going to put women, she's going to win women's basketball on the map if it ain't already."

Smith also highlighted her skills adding:

"She [Caitlin] is the Steph Curry of women's basketball. She is a marksman. She is a sniper. This girl pulls up from the parking lot and I love it. She's got ball handling skills, she's got passing ability, she's got the repertoire."

Caitlin Clark's immediate impact on the WNBA

On Thursday, Caitlin Clark announced her decision to waive her Covid year. With her being projected as the No.1 pick, she will likely be joining Indiana Fever, who has already been dropping subtle hints on social media. Right after Clark shared her decision on social media, the Fever Twitter account posted:

This was followed by a link to the season tickets sale.

Now, it is being reported that the average listed price of the tickets for Indiana's home opener against New York Liberty rose overnight by 303%. This also coincides with a reported 109% spike in the average listed price for the Fever’s entire regular season and a 180% increase in site traffic to the Fever’s webpage.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert shared her thoughts on Clark's decision to go pro, saying:

"This will certainly be a moment we'll look back and say you know it was a game-changer for us."

Besides this, it is also being reported that the overall average salary for WNBA players is set to rise. Caitlin Clark will carry her NIL deals worth $910,000 to her pro career as three of the brands Gatorade, State Farm, and Nike, are WNBA partners as well. Her other brand partnerships would also follow suit as the audience pull she has will not stop any day soon.