For the past few weeks, Caitlin Clark has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. She was ruled out against the Portland Fire less than two hours before tipoff with back stiffness and soreness and even found herself at the center of heated exchanges. But amid all the narratives surrounding the Indiana Fever star, both the franchise’s front office and the WNBA have made one thing clear – Clark remains one of the biggest names in the sport as she earns a spot on TIME Magazine‘s list of the 100 Most Influential People in Sports.

As soon as the announcement by the magazine went viral, Fever general manager Amber Cox took to X and wrote:

“To paraphrase @chiney … She didn’t move the needle. She IS the needle! Congrats to CC!”

Now, if you have been following the sport for the last few days, you know that there couldn’t be a better time for a message like this to come. Ever since the 2026 season began, social media has been flooded with speculation about Clark’s future in Indiana. Some have suggested there is a growing disconnect between the franchise and its superstar guard. At the same time, analysts like Jason Whitlock added fuel to those conversations by urging Clark to leave Indiana and join the Los Angeles Sparks.

However, Cox’s public endorsement leaves little doubt about how the Fever view their franchise star.

The WNBA also joined the celebrations, taking to the comments section of an Instagram post celebrating Caitlin Clark’s achievement and writing, “Yess CC 👏🔥.” But that reaction from the league should hardly come as a surprise.

Ever since her days at Iowa, CC has been one of the most popular athletes in America. Her presence has consistently driven record-breaking attendance figures, first at the college level and now in the WNBA.

Teams across the league have moved select games to larger NBA arenas when they play against Indiana to meet heightened demand. So, recognizing the audience she brings, the WNBA scheduled all 44 Indiana Fever regular-season games for national television this season.

To put it in perspective a little better, according to The Source, Indiana’s season opener against the Dallas Wings averaged 2.5 million viewers on ABC, making it the second most-watched WNBA regular-season game ever across ESPN networks.

So that influence is exactly why TIME included Clark alongside names such as LeBron James, Lionel Messi, and Shohei Ohtani on its list of the most influential figures in sports.

“When the history of women’s basketball is written, expect a chapter – or two or three – on Caitlin Clark, whose showmanship and three-point exploits, in both college and the WNBA, have brought unprecedented attention to the game,” the magazine wrote.

However, she wasn’t the only WNBA star to make the list.

Caitlin Clark wasn’t alone as TIME recognized WBB’s biggest changemakers

See, this marks the first year TIME has carved out a dedicated sports category for its annual list of the world’s most influential people. And while Clark’s inclusion came as little surprise, she wasn’t the only WNBA name to make the cut.

Joining the Fever star on the list were the Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon, Aces superstar A’ja Wilson, and Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike.

For Hammon, she has been the talk of the town for the last few years after building one of the WNBA’s most successful dynasties. It was under her guidance that the Aces went on to secure the WNBA Championship three times in the last 4 years.

On the other hand, when it comes to Wilson, the four-time MVP has continued to raise the standard in the WNBA by becoming one of the most decorated players the league has ever seen while keeping the Aces among the championship favorites this season as well.

However, Ogwumike’s influence extends well beyond the basketball court.

In addition to her decorated playing career, the longtime WNBA Players Association president played a key role in negotiating a landmark labor agreement that has significantly increased player salaries and benefits across the WNBA. That has not only allowed players to earn more, but has also helped set a new benchmark for the future of women’s professional sports.

Together, their inclusion highlights just how many people have helped push the WNBA to new heights in recent years. While Caitlin Clark may have been the headline name, Hammon, Wilson, and Ogwumike have each played a role in shaping the league’s growth, both on and off the court.