To nobody’s surprise, the Indiana Fever started the WNBA Draft by making Caitlin Clark the No. 1 pick.
The Fever selected the Iowa superstar on Monday night following an unforgettable senior season. The entire city, including the Indiana Pacers, are excited to have her onboard.
After the Fever’s pick, the Pacers shared a video of their players congratulating Clark and welcoming her to the city.
“Welcome to Indy. Welcome to the squad,” Tyrese Haliburton said. “So excited to have you here. So excited to watch you and your growth and see you get better.”
Haliburton, who averaged an NBA-leading 10.9 assists per game during his second All-Star season, also rolled out the red carpet for Clark on social media.
“Glad we’re finally on the same side!” he wrote. “Congrats and welcome to the city!!”
Pacers center Myles Turner said he’s “looking forward to a hell of a season” from the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, who led the Hawkeyes to two straight National Championship Games.
the squad welcomes Caitlin Clark to Indy 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ZRhUPqax1i
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 15, 2024
The Pacers snapped a three-year drought to make the NBA playoffs as the No. 6 seed. Clark will look to lead a similar turnaround for the Fever, who last made the postseason in 2016.
Clark joins Aliyah Boston, last year’s No. 1 pick, to transform a team that notched a combined 17 wins from 2020 to 2022 before going 13-27 last season.
“I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was in second grade,” Clark told Holly Rowe on the ESPN broadcast after getting picked. “It’s taken a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs.”
Of course, Pacers players aren’t the only people eager to see Clark play in Indiana. The Fever celebrated the “generational” talent when welcoming Clark to the team, and a watch party at Gainbridge Fieldhouse went wild when seeing the pick announced.