The Caitlin Clark Effect: Single-Handed Revolution or Part of a Greater Movement in Women’s Basketball?
The year 2024 has been unprecedented for women’s basketball. The University of South Carolina, led by the legendary Dawn Staley, completed an undefeated season, clinching the NCAA tournament. The introduction of NIL deals in college sports has significantly increased the visibility, earnings, and career projections for female college basketball athletes. The upcoming WNBA draft on April 15th is drawing comparisons to the illustrious 2003 NBA draft due to the depth of talent, which is remarkable, considering the historical underestimation of women’s basketball. Nevertheless, Caitlin Clark’s name has become synonymous with women’s college basketball this year, transcending traditional viewership boundaries with her remarkable statlines, long-range highlights, and indomitable spirit, which has ignited major debates among basketball enthusiasts.
A contingent of sports journalists, fans, and newcomers to women’s basketball — introduced to the sport by Caitlin Clark’s social media presence — have posited that she has single-handedly sparked interest in a domain previously ignored. They also argue that she may be the greatest women’s college basketball player and will easily ascend to professional greatness. While the discussion around player performance and potential is intriguing and advanced statistics offers space for debate, this article will focus on the claim of Clark’s solitary impact on the sport’s popularity. An analysis of Wikipedia page views serves as a gauge for comparing the relative prominence of Caitlin Clark with other top collegiate players and WNBA stars who excelled in college, challenging the narrative of her unmatched influence.
Examining Wikipedia page views, it’s evident that Caitlin Clark isn’t the only collegiate player to capture national attention. Paige Bueckers of UConn, who lost to Clark’s Iowa in the contentious 2024 Final Four, had already made significant waves on social media, with many touting her as potentially the best even before her college career. At the height of Caitlin’s earliest trending moments, Paige’s views outnumbered hers tenfold. Nonetheless, Caitlin tops the page view count, but not overwhelmingly so. Angel Reese of LSU, USC’s JuJu Watkins, and Stanford’s Cameron Brink closely trailed her during the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Reese, who defeated Iowa and Clark in the 2023 championship and was consistently the highest-paid through NIL endorsements, is often overlooked in discussions that singularly credit Clark with shattering viewership records.
The narrative, perpetuated by more than just Clark’s fanbase, neglects the historical context of women’s basketball and the achievements of her peers. This disregard is disconcerting to longstanding supporters and belittles the dedication of other players who have contributed significantly to the sport’s growth, long before Clark’s emergence.
A similar pattern emerges when juxtaposing Clark’s viewership with current WNBA players. She leads in this area as well, unless Brittney Griner’s unique overseas circumstances are taken into account. Yet, the margin is slim. For instance, Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty garnered nearly the same number of page views as Clark during her 2024 All-Star Weekend showdown with Steph Curry. WNBA stars such as Kelsey Plum, who preceded Clark as the collegiate scoring leader, Breanna Stewart with four NCAA titles, and double WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson have all attracted substantial attention, surpassing or approaching 100k page views. Plum, in particular, has seen a surge in her online following lately, partly due to her marriage to NFL tight end Darren Waller, and was one of the rare few alongside Clark to achieve 100k views during college.
Out of the ten players I analyzed against Clark’s profile, Plum, Reese, and Watkins were the only ones besides Caitlin to reach 100k views at specific points. This data underscores the fact that while Clark has certainly had a remarkable impact, she is part of a broader movement that has seen many talented players elevate the profile of women’s college basketball.
In conclusion, Caitlin Clark’s stellar performances and media draw have been instrumental in propelling women’s basketball to new heights of recognition and enthusiasm. However, the notion that she single-handedly generated this interest is an overstatement that fails to acknowledge the collective efforts and successes of her contemporaries. The recent surge in women’s basketball viewership should be attributed to a confluence of talents, with Clark being a prominent figure among a group of outstanding athletes who have shaped the current and future landscape of the sport. The year 2024, therefore, should be celebrated for its cumulative advancements in women’s basketball, with recognition given to all the players who continue to redefine and raise the standard of the game.
