Dan breaks down how Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark single-handedly transformed the WNBA into a mainstream powerhouse, driving unprecedented ratings, arena sellouts, and league-wide attention and growth.
Caitlin Clark is gearing up for her first appearance in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup on Friday, and if she plays like she did for the Indiana Fever this past month, Team USA may be impossible to take down.
Clark’s August in the WNBA was a spectacle to behold, as she once again made league history with her phenomenal play.
For starters, Clark scored or assisted on 44.7 points per game, a WNBA record for a single month. The stellar point guard has always had a knack for either finding the bottom of the net or dishing assists to her teammates to get the job done.
CAITLIN CLARK, INDIANA FEVER GO INTO FIBA WORLD CUP BREAK WITH BIG WIN OVER CONNECTICUT
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates a made basket in the first half against the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 15, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
Either way, those numbers were racked up throughout the month of August, and more history followed.
Clark became the first player in WNBA history with back-to-back 30-plus-point and 10-plus-assist games.
They both came in the final two games for the Fever before this international break, scoring 34 points with 12 assists in a 111-91 win over the Connecticut Sun. Then, Clark poured in 37 points, including eight of 12 three-pointers made, with 10 assists in the Aug. 23 win over the Chicago Sky, 113-90.
That game against the Sky was also significant, as Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from the Wintrust Arena in Chicago after an altercation involving Sky guard Natasha Cloud. The third-quarter incident, though, never rattled Clark and the Fever, and they got the job done before heading back home.
USA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROSTER REVEAL FOR FIBA WORLD CUP FEATURES AWKWARD CAITLIN CLARK, ANGEL REESE PAIRING
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates after a three-point basket against the Connecticut Sun in the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
It's also worth mentioning the off-the-court situation that made national headlines involving Freedom considering the Fever's caption called Clark's performance "HERstoric." Kanter, fellow Fever star Sophie Cunningham, and many others have spoken out about their belief that biological men should be out of women's sports.
Meanwhile, a WNBA task force of team presidents and general managers met last month to discuss a wide range of topics, one of which being transgender athletes. However, they did not arrive at any eligibility rules, which basically means the league can't define what a woman is.
"Today's meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online," the WNBA’s statement read. "We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months. We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league. There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others."
