Caitlin Clark is only two games into her third WNBA season, yet she continues to make a massive impact on women’s basketball with the attention and interest she brings to the sport.
Some people have openly acknowledged that impact, while others have tried to downplay it. But WNBA legend Lisa Leslie made her feelings clear during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take on Thursday while discussing Clark surprisingly being left off the 2024 Olympic team despite her popularity and rookie success at the time.
“I don’t know how we left the country without her,” Leslie said. “She is a game changer. She has moved the game and needle in a way we haven’t seen in women’s basketball before… I thought Caitlin Clark should’ve been on that team.”
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The conversation later shifted to a recent poll conducted ahead of the WNBA season that asked general managers which player they would choose to build a franchise around. While Clark received 20% of the vote, she finished behind Paige Bueckers, who earned 33%.
Leslie made it clear where she stood on the discussion.
“This is a money business, and the money is about Caitlin Clark,” Leslie said. “Never in the history of the WNBA have we had a player force teams to get into larger arenas. I’ve never seen that happen. If you’re the GM, you’re obviously supposed to be bringing in money. That’s revenue. I’m going with Caitlin Clark.”
While Clark is not the sole reason behind the WNBA’s growth and rising popularity, she has clearly been at the forefront of it since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick.
Her arrival has coincided with a broader surge in attention for the league, including a notable jump in visibility around the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement and overall business growth. That momentum is expected to continue, especially as interest in the league expands year over year.
When Clark is on the floor, the impact is easy to see — more eyes are on the product, arenas are drawing larger crowds, and ticket demand has risen in several markets whenever she plays.
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