Caitlin Clark declares for 2024 WNBA Draft

Caitlin Clark has declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft, she announced via social media. The Iowa star had the COVID-19 year at her disposal if she wanted to return for one final season of college basketball.

Clark – NCAA women’s basketball’s all-time leading scorer – has put together a historic year, leading the Hawkeyes to a 24-4 overall record and a 13-3 mark in Big Ten play. Through 29 games this year, she’s averaging 32.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 8.7 assists, and she’s also closing in on the Division I all-time record held by “Pistol” Pete Maravich. He scored 3,667 points in three years for LSU from 1968-70.

Although Clark is viewed as the projected No. 1 overall pick to the Indiana Fever, there were still questions about whether she’d go to the WNBA or return to Iowa for one more year. She put those to rest Thursday ahead of the Hawkeyes’ regular-season finale against Ohio State this weekend.

🖤 pic.twitter.com/9bd3w390Ka

— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) February 29, 2024

“While this season is far from over and we have a lot more goals to achieve, it will be my last one at Iowa,” Clark said in a lengthy statement. “I am excited to be entering the 2024 WNBA Draft. It is impossible to fully express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me during my time at Iowa – my teammates, who made the last four years the best; my coaches, trainers and staff who always let me be me; Hawkeye fans who filled Carver every night; and everyone who came out to support us across the country, especially the young kids.

“Most importantly, none of this would have been possible without my family and friends who have been by my side through it all. Because of you, my dreams came true.”

Clark became perhaps the biggest conversation in basketball as she pursued Kelsey Plum’s scoring record, and she continues to make history on the NIL front, as well. She became Fanatics’ top-selling college athlete in the NIL Era, On3’s Pete Nakos reported. She passed the previous high seller, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Clark has capitalized on other opportunities in the NIL space, too. Repped by Excel Sports Management, she also has notable NIL deals with Gatorade and State Farm as part of her growing portfolio.

Caitlin Clark has an On3 NIL Valuation of $910,000, which put her No. 30 in the On3 NIL 100, the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation. She also sits at No. 3 in the On3 College Women’s Basketball NIL Rank.