INDIANAPOLIS — Year 1 of the Clark & Reese Show has been unlike anything the WNBA has ever seen. Sure, this season’s final chapter is still unscripted with the playoffs set to start Sunday. But the rookie seasons and attention Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have had makes the league’s outlook extremely bright beyond this postseason.
Sold out arenas became the norm. Soaring television ratings helped expand the fan base. Clark, Reese, the presumptive league MVP A’ja Wilson and others continually chased record-breaking statistics.
And routine conversations and social media posts spurred sometimes heated debates about everything from basketball to culture. “Watching the basketball that’s been played this season and the talent that’s been on the floor across the league, it’s been phenomenal,” Chicago Sky veteran Lindsay Allen said. “The two rookies, Caitlin and Angel — Angel has been huge for us and has been setting records.
The basketball has been at a very, very high level and the interest has been, too.” It’s impossible to ignore how much the sport has evolved since Clark, Reese and arguably the best rookie class in league history arrived in April. The timing for the league was perfect, too.
Clark and Reese brought the swagger, confidence and passion they exuded in a rivalry that captivated college basketball fans. That momentum continued into the pros and has elevated the profile of everyone around the league. And as much as everyone attempted to manag.