Iowa Legend Caitlin Clark Receives High Praise Ahead of 2025 WNBA Season
Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever’s rising star and former Iowa Hawkeye, has earned a spot on The Athletic’s 2025 All-WNBA Preseason First Team as she prepares to begin her second professional season. After an impressive rookie year, Clark is continuing to cement her place as one of the WNBA’s top players.
In her debut season, Clark made a significant impact, averaging 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Her stellar performance has earned her recognition as a top contender heading into the 2025 season, joining the likes of A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, and Alyssa Thomas on the Preseason First Team.
A panel of experts—Shannon Ryan, Ben Pickman, Sabreena Merchant, Chantel Jennings, and Zena Keita—determined the preseason honors for The Athletic.
Clark, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, helped revitalize the Fever, guiding them to a 20-20 record and their first playoff appearance since 2016. While the team was eliminated in the first round by the Connecticut Sun, Clark’s impact was undeniable as she set numerous league and franchise records, establishing herself as one of the WNBA’s elite players.
Presenting The Athletic’s All-WNBA Preseason First-Team:
🟧 A’ja Wilson — @LVAces
🟧 Napheesa Collier — @minnesotalynx
🟧 Caitlin Clark — @IndianaFever
🟧 Breanna Stewart — @nyliberty
🟧 Alyssa Thomas — @PhoenixMercury pic.twitter.com/a5YnyTZWlE— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 15, 2025
“She knows the league now. That’s dangerous,” said WNBA legend Sue Bird, reflecting on Clark’s potential for the upcoming season.
Clark made history last year by breaking the WNBA record for most assists in a single season and setting rookie records for three-pointers and regular-season points scored. Her remarkable rookie season also earned her a spot in the 2024 All-Star Game, where she tied the record for the second-most assists in the history of the event.
Thanks in part to Clark’s presence, the WNBA saw a surge in viewership in 2024. A total of 22 regular-season games surpassed the one-million average viewer mark, a feat not achieved since 2008. Including the WNBA Draft and the All-Star Game, 24 events reached seven-figure viewership, with Clark appearing in 21 of them.
The Indiana Fever played in all six games that set new WNBA viewership records for league television partners.
Caitlin Clark and the Fever will begin their 2025 season on Saturday against rival Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky. Indiana will then play back-to-back games against the Atlanta Dream, starting with a home game on Tuesday, followed by a road matchup in Atlanta on May 22.
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