Caitlin Clark makes history, ranks 6th on elite list and decimates Paige Bueckers by 14x

Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark continues to break records and achieve remarkable milestones both on and off the court. With her exceptional skillset, Clark has captivated millions of fans and her popularity has soared exponentially over the past few years.

On Friday, the Fever point guard achieved yet another historic feat, becoming the first woman to be included in the Professional Sports Authenticator's (PSA) top 10 most-collected basketball players of the year.

Clark’s trading card demand skyrocketed, earning her the sixth spot on the prestigious list, led by San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama. Basketball legends Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Anthony Edwards rounded out the top five ahead of Clark.

The former Iowa standout was also crowned the most popular female athlete across all sports, and by a significant margin. Clark had an astounding 77,000 trading cards graded, while the next-highest women’s basketball player, potential 2025 WNBA No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers, had just 5,400 cards graded.

Clark’s dominance over Bueckers on this elite list was nothing short of extraordinary, with over 14 times more cards graded than her closest competitor.

Caitlin Clark leaves Angel Reese in the dust

Caitlin Clark didn’t just surpass Paige Bueckers on this prestigious list, the Indiana Fever superstar also outshined her biggest rival, Chicago Sky standout Angel Reese. While Clark amassed an astounding 77,000 trading cards graded, Reese had just 4,700, 16 times fewer than Clark’s remarkable total.

Clark's popularity continues to soar, with the fame she gained during her time at Iowa seamlessly carrying over to the professional stage. Recently named TIME's Athlete of the Year, the Indiana Fever superstar reflected on her journey during an interview with the magazine, candidly sharing her thoughts on fans packing arenas to watch her play.

"I didn't really know how that would translate to the (WNBA)," Clark said. "Once I decided to leave college, I thought the crowds would still be amazing, but I didn't know exactly how it would translate, and it was basically just the same thing (as college)."

Interestingly, the news of Clark's skyrocketing popularity coincided with another report showing a massive surge in ticket sales for the Indiana Fever. StubHub recorded a staggering 90-fold increase in tickets sold for the team this year compared to 2023.