Caitlin Clark ended her magical NCAA run with disappointment last night. However, the rising superstar has left a last impression on the hoops community with her dominance. During her time at college basketball, Clark broke several records which were preserved for years. While her fans cherished those historic moments, they have another record to cheer about. In fact, she put the NBA to shame with her latest achievement.

Sunday’s much-awaited NCAA championship game ended up setting a record with 18.7 million viewers glued in to watch the telecast. At its peak, it became the most-viewed women’s basketball game, with 24 million viewers glued in at one point. This is the most since 2019, as announced by ESPN after South Carolina defeated Hawkeyes, 87-75.

As per ESPN, the only events in the USA that drew a bigger television audience since 2019 are football, the Olympics, and the World Cup. In fact, a heartbroken Clark after her loss can still relish in the fact that her team played in the three most watched women’s basketball games so far. This is something even Clark couldn’t help but celebrate.

In response to the achievement, Clark took to her X handle and put out a post to celebrate.

In the last 5 NBA Finals series, the league managed to garner around 11.56 million views per game, which is at least 6 million less than what Clark has garnered last night. Moreover, the NBA superstar LeBron James also fell short in front of the NCAA sensation. The 2020 NBA Finals, which the Los Angeles Lakers won in the bubble, became the least-viewed Finals ever with an average viewership of 7.66 million.

On the other hand, Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry also couldn’t match up to Clark. During the Dubs’ latest Finals win against the Boston Celtics, the series garnered an average viewership of 12.39 million. Despite Steph’s comeback win, the series couldn’t surpass the Caitlin Clark magic.

What’s next for Caitlin Clark?

In her two-season appearance at the college basketball, Caitlin Clark swept an array of records, including several historical feats. Notably, she became the first Division 1 player to register an All-Time NCAA stat line of 3,000+ points, 900+ assists, and 800+ rebounds in both men and women. Apart from that, she became the all-time Division 1 scoring leader and also broke Stephen Curry’s record for most three-pointers scored in a single NCAA season. While the 22-year-old has set the course straight for an exciting career, she ended this season with an important question. When will she go pro?

Well, for starters, Caitlin Clark is projected to be the first pick in the WNBA Drafts 2024, which are going to be held on April 15, in New York. Indiana will have the top pick, and can pick Clark, pairing her with last year’s top pick, Aliyah Boston from South Carolina.

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Then she will be busy with the WNBA training camps, that begin on April 28. If she goes to Indiana Fever, which is of course a high probability, her first preseason game will be scheduled on May 3 in Indianapolis, with the season tipping off officially on May 14. There are also chances of her ending on the Olympic team, which will most definitely increase the viewership. In fact, all the WNBA stars will play an exhibition game against the Olympic team on July 20. And there’s a high chance Clark might make it to the same.

With many endorsement deals, all the travel involved, and all the different practice and training sessions involved, it seems to be a pretty busy year for Caitlin Clark. Speaking to Good Morning America, Clark showed she was perhaps ready for the whirlwind that this year will be for her. She said, “I’m just kind of ready for the next chapter and a new challenge in my life.” 

We can certainly hope Clark will achieve new heights once she enters the WNBA.

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