Indiana Fever win WNBA Draft Lottery & Chance to Draft Caitlin Clark (She won't be taking a Pay Cut)

[Franisdaman]

If her star can remain as bright as it is right now, she won't likely take a pay cut due to the endorsements. If she doesn't dominate the league the way she has womens CBB, those endorsements will go away. If I had a sure thing by coming back for one more year, I don't think I would pass that up.

I am not sure about endorsements going away, whether she enters the WNBA Draft in 2024 or 2025.

As you will read below, Caitlin said in February, 2023 that people simply don't understand what she is making now vs what she would make in the WNBA. When she heads to the WNBA, I think she makes it pretty clear that she wouldn't be giving endorsements up and she wouldn't be taking a pay cut.

This is what Caitlin stated in a February, 2023 Dan Patrick interview:

Q: Would you be taking a pay cut by heading to the WNBA?

“Not necessarily. I think that’s what gets lost sometimes. I think people don’t understand. NIL is still kind of a thing when you get into pro sports, too. You still have all those endorsements. You still have sponsorships and whatnot, so you’re basically just a professional athlete with that on top of it, too. So, it’s not really something that I would factor into my decision of staying or going too much.”


Caitlin, on how important the WNBA is to her:

“Very important. That’s where I want to be, but I have another year here and possibly one more after that just because of COVID, so probably will have to make a decision on that sometime next year. I really have no clue of what I’m going to do. Stay for an extra year or leave after next year, but I love watching the WNBA.

“I remember really vividly my dad taking me to my first ever WNBA game. Maya Moore was my favorite player growing up. She played for the Minnesota Lynx, so it was pretty convenient. That was only a four hour trip from where I grew up, and I really remember getting to watch her versus Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm. That was like my first ever experience with the WNBA when I was really young.”

Caitlin Clark considering two more seasons with the Iowa Hawkeyes

Caitlin Clark revealed on the Dan Patrick Show that she’s mulling the possibility of two more seasons with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

hawkeyeswire.usatoday.com

Caitlin's current list of deals:

Company sponsorships:
1. Gatorade
2. Nike
3. State Farm
4. H & R Block
5. Topps Trading Cards
6. Hy-Vee
7. Bose
8. The Vinyl Shop (her first deal, in Aug 2021)
9. Buick (ahead of the 2023 NCAA Tournament)
10. Goldman Sachs (a commercial was released during 2023 NCAA Tournament)
11. Shoot-A-Way (basketball shooting machine company)

Appearance Fees?
1. 2023 John Deere Classic (played golf w/ Zach Johnson)
2. Caitlin Clark Night at Iowa Cubs, June 2023 (she signed autographs)

Other:
1. 2023 Caitlin Clark Summer Basketball Camp

 

[BrewHawk]

She might not take a pay cut for a year or two, but the money she would make next year by staying with Iowa is guaranteed, while there are no guarantees after 2-3 years in the WNBA, depending on her performance and marketability.

 

[Franisdaman]

Chloe (an Iowa alum) covers Purdue for the Indianapolis Star

 

[Franisdaman]

Chloe (an Iowa alum) covers Purdue for the Indianapolis Star.

 

[Franisdaman]

Chloe (an Iowa alum) covers Purdue for the Indianapolis Star.

 

[Franisdaman]

Zion covers IU women's basketball for the Indy Star

 

[Franisdaman]

She put on a show for the Indiana Fever.

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[Franisdaman]

Ughh....

 

[Franisdaman]

If Caitlin enters the 2024 WNBA Draft, she's gonna sell a lot of tickets.

 

[ICWestfan]

I couldn't agree with this post more. The WNBA does not garner the publicity that NCAAW BB does despite all the stars that are in the league. My fear would be she goes to the league and fades away and becomes the biggest fish in the Indianapolis pond.

Or she goes to Indy and the WNBA and leads that team to a WNBA Championship. Can you imagine the publicity she and that team would receive, as well as the WNBA? Personally, I want her to go pro and do the same thing she did to WCBB, which is put the nation on notice.

 

[Franisdaman]

Is it her last dance?

 

[Franisdaman]

Or she goes to Indy and the WNBA and leads that team to a WNBA Championship. Can you imagine the publicity she and that team would receive, as well as the WNBA? Personally, I want her to go pro and do the same thing she did to WCBB, which is put the nation on notice.

I kinda wonder if she's ready for the next (WNBA) challenge

Sun March 3 vs Ohio State is Senior Day and is the final regular season game. It will be interesting to see if Caitlin participates in Senior Day.

 

[Franisdaman]

Wisconsin is terrible, I know. But putting up 30 points a night is becoming routine.

Is she ready for next challenge (the WNBA)?

It is really amazing how much better she is than anyone else at the college level.

Here's a 3 shot sequence from last night where she just leaves her defender in the dust.

 

[Franisdaman]

Story from this morning:

Should she stay or should she go? The numbers behind Caitlin Clark’s WNBA decision​

Riley Donald
Fri, Jan 19, 2024, 6:45 AM CST·4 min read

Should she stay, or should she go?

An inevitable decision is approaching in the coming months for Caitlin Clark. Does she go to the WNBA where she is set to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and cross off another goal of hers?

Or, does she return to the Iowa Hawkeyes and leave her spot as the greatest collegiate basketball player ever in an untouchable spot?

While neither decision is right or wrong, it may not even be as black and white as it sounds. There is an undeniable financial piece that plays a part and absolutely should as Caitlin Clark deserves to take care of herself as well.

That could be sticking at Iowa and potentially getting some sort of deal from Iowa’s SWARM collective. It could also be securing her future in the WNBA.

Here is a look at both sides of the decision and why a return to the Iowa Hawkeyes could be lucrative for all parties involved.

Caitlin Clark's current NIL deals​

Clark has a number of NIL deals. Here’s a look at some of the big names that have inked NIL deals with Clark.

• Nike
• Gatorade
• Buick
• Bose
• Goldman Sachs
• State Farm
• Hy-Vee
• H&R Block
• Topps
• Shoot-A-Way

Caitlin Clark's On3 NIL Valuation

Caitlin Clark has plenty of big NIL deals at Iowa. Per On3’s NIL Deal Tracker, Clark has inked deals with Nike, Buick, and signed a multi-year deal with Gatorade. She also became the first collegiate athlete to sign with State Farm.

Clark’s deals and NIL valuation are among the top in all of women’s sports. Caitlin Clark’s On3 NIL Valuation is $818,000, which puts her at No. 5 among all female collegiate athletes and No. 29 among all collegiate athletes.

Per the On3 Women’s NIL 100, Clark trails only Livvy Dunne, the gymnast from LSU, Angel Reese and Flau’Jae Johnson, the duo on the Tigers’ basketball team, and TCU’s Haley Cavinder, who has exploded on social media.

That is the background of Clark’s NIL valuation. If she goes to the WNBA, Clark won’t lose those deals. Many of those companies would stay with her as a huge face of women’s sports.

WNBA Contract​

Should Clark go to the WNBA, she is unanimously viewed as the No. 1 draft pick.

Per Spotrac, which analyzes and keeps records of all major sports contracts and draft slot values, Clark would lock into the top rookie contract slot. The contract escalates over the first three years with a fourth-year option.

Year one of Clark’s WNBA contract would be $76,535, year two would be $78,066, year three would be $85,873, and the fourth-year option would be $97,582 for a total contract value of $338,056.

Iowa SWARM Collective impact​

So, let’s ask the question which is the elephant in the room. Does Iowa, the SWARM collective, local businesses, and other sources of funding come together to offer Caitlin Clark a deal that proves to be more lucrative staying at Iowa for one final year?

Should they? Without a doubt. Caitlin Clark is selling out every arena she steps into and is the face of the sport right now. Barring incredibly unforeseen circumstances, she would still retain the top draft slot in the 2025 WNBA draft. But, Clark would have one more year to chase a title and check off nearly every record on the books.

Will they offer that deal is another question. If the SWARM collective and local businesses can come together for a one-year offer, they could equal the equivalent of three times the WNBA rookie contract with an offer of $1,014,168.

And with the right backing, it doesn’t have to stop there. Why not put together a multi-million dollar NIL deal for Clark? As we’ll discuss in a moment, Clark’s value to the University of Iowa would far exceed whatever final number the SWARM could slide across the desk to her.

The ROI is well worth it for Iowa​

Seven figures can look a bit striking at first, but the On3 NIL 100 has 19 athletes valued at over $1 million dollars. Caitlin Clark has the brand, following, and ability to make that deal worth every penny and then some. She is worth every last piece of that to Iowa for the ticket sales, recruiting, merchandise, and exposure that will continue to follow.

Caitlin Clark returning to Iowa doesn’t just set them up for the 2024-25 women’s college basketball season. Under the right circumstances, it potentially sets them up to be a national powerhouse for years to come. This decision could have a positive impact on Iowa for decades to come.

Iowa fans want her back. WNBA fans want her to join their roster. The inevitable decision awaits us and while it is one choice or the other, there is much more than just two factors at play here for Caitlin Clark.

Should she stay, or should she go?

Should she stay or should she go? The numbers behind Caitlin Clark’s WNBA decision - Yahoo Sports

Should Caitlin Clark return to Iowa? Why a return to the Hawkeyes might be her best financial bet.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Franisdaman]

Mychal Thompson was the #1 pick in the 1978 NBA Draft and a 2x NBA Champion. He is Klay Thompson's (Golden State Warriors) dad.

Check this out & hit the PLAY button:

 

[Franisdaman]

Time is flying.

Sun March 3: Senior Day, vs Ohio State, the final regular season game. Will Caitlin participate in Senior Day?

April 5 & 7: Women's Final Four

April 15: 2024 WNBA Draft

 

[kceasthawk]

I couldn't agree with this post more. The WNBA does not garner the publicity that NCAAW BB does despite all the stars that are in the league. My fear would be she goes to the league and fades away and becomes the biggest fish in the Indianapolis pond.

I have NO idea what is going to happen next year, although I do think all this back and forth over ONE year is kinda crazy. If people here really think that CC will come back just to make more $$, (which seems to be the prevailing argument) then I'd say your clueless. If she comes back it won't be for financial reasons. The one thing I DO know is that she's not going to "fade away". Whatever she decides to do with her life. Shes a smart gal, and a leader. We'll hear a lot more from her on AND off the court....

 

[shikreto]

I have NO idea what is going to happen next year, although I do think all this back and forth over ONE year is kinda crazy. If people here really think that CC will come back just to make more $$, (which seems to be the prevailing argument) then I'd say your clueless. If she comes back it won't be for financial reasons. The one thing I DO know is that she's not going to "fade away". Whatever she decides to do with her life. Shes a smart gal, and a leader. We'll hear a lot more from her on AND off the court....

I used to have a theory (going back to her sophomore year) that she always planned to come back for a 5th but understood the power of the narrative and would draw it out to the last second. It’s cooled a bit with all of the “perfect fit” talk ….. but lets hope I was right along

 

[kceasthawk]

Mychal Thompson was the #1 pick in the 1978 NBA Draft and a 2x NBA Champion. He is Klay Thompson's (Golden State Warriors) dad.

Check this out & hit the PLAY button:

View embedded media

Would not be surprised if the W did that either.

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[kceasthawk]

View embedded media

Very legit quote from Lobo. This is something that people who say that the pro's will be able to "lock her down" just don't get. She'll be playing with MUCH better talent around her as a group, and her abilities as a facilitator will only be heightened. She will be a star in the W, of that I have zero doubt....

 

[Tenacious E]

Very legit quote from Lobo. This is something that people who say that the pro's will be able to "lock her down" just don't get. She'll be playing with MUCH better talent around her as a group, and her abilities as a facilitator will only be heightened. She will be a star in the W, of that I have zero doubt....

I mean, how many assists would she have had just last night against Maryland if people would just catch her passes and make the bunny or layup? 15? She could have another 200 to 500 assists over her career. I know you could say that about every player but it seems like people not converting after a sweet pass happens to her a lot. I imagine that goes way down in the WNBA.

 

[DavidHawk324]

I think she’s gone just because I don’t think she will accomplish more next year than what she has already accomplished and her buddies on the team will have graduated so her supporting cast will mostly change.

That said, the one wildcard would be if Moon or some other huge booster comes up and offers Clark a seven figure deal to stay.

 

[not_mantiteo]

I mean, how many assists would she have had just last night against Maryland if people would just catch her passes and make the bunny or layup? 15? She could have another 200 to 500 assists over her career. I know you could say that about every player but it seems like people not converting after a sweet pass happens to her a lot. I imagine that goes way down in the WNBA.

Yup, Boston will not miss those layups which is why I think they’ll be a deadly duo starting off

 

[hawkeye_wx]

I think Caitlin should go pro after this year. It's either this year or next, so she may as well go this year. Sure, I'd love to watch her at Iowa for another year, but, frankly, it almost feels unfair to me that she would get a fifth year that other superstars, past and future, did not and will not get. She will smash all records, but the records will all be bulls*** because she got an extra year. I don't want that.

 

[kceasthawk]

I mean, how many assists would she have had just last night against Maryland if people would just catch her passes and make the bunny or layup? 15? She could have another 200 to 500 assists over her career. I know you could say that about every player but it seems like people not converting after a sweet pass happens to her a lot. I imagine that goes way down in the WNBA.

Exactly. AND this will only open the floor for HER even more both to drive and to shoot. Teams won't be able to run junk defenses on her because she would kill them with the dimes. Pro's like Lobo and Bird get this......

 

[kceasthawk]

I think Caitlin should go pro after this year. It's either this year or next, so she may as well go this year. Sure, I'd love to watch her at Iowa for another year, but, frankly, it almost feels unfair to me that she would get a fifth year that other superstars, past and future, did not and will not get. She will smash all records, but the records will all be bulls*** because she got an extra year. I don't want that.

Honestly, I don't believe she does either, which Is why I think she goes. We'll see.....

 

[Franisdaman]

Very legit quote from Lobo. This is something that people who say that the pro's will be able to "lock her down" just don't get. She'll be playing with MUCH better talent around her as a group, and her abilities as a facilitator will only be heightened. She will be a star in the W, of that I have zero doubt....

And Senior Day (Sun March 3rd) is rapidly approaching....it will be interesting to see if she participates and if she announces her upcoming plans.

Connor might give her some advice on this. He participated in Senior Day and then, later, declared he was coming back for one more year at Iowa.

 

[Franisdaman]

Caitlin, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston would make a nice Big 3 in Indiana.

Kelsey Mitchell (5'8, 160)
She turned 28 on Nov 12.
2023 WNBA Stats:
18.2 points
3.1 assists
.9 Steals
1.6 Rebounds

Aliyah Boston (6'5, 220)
She turned 22 on Dec 11.
2023 WNBA Stats:
14.5 points
8.4 Rebounds
2.2 Assists
1.3 Steals

 

[mphawk]

And Senior Day (Sun March 3rd) is rapidly approaching....it will be interesting to see if she participates and if she announces her upcoming plans.

Connor might give her some advice on this. He participated in Senior Day and then, later, declared he was coming back for one more year at Iowa.

Coach Bluder said in her press conference on Friday that Caitlin will go through Senior Day regardless. She will make her decision after the season and could always go through it again next year.

 

[Franisdaman]

Coach Bluder said in her press conference on Friday that Caitlin will go through Senior Day regardless. She will make her decision after the season and could always go through it again next year.

thank you; did not hear/know that.

 

[shikreto]

I think she’s gone just because I don’t think she will accomplish more next year than what she has already accomplished and her buddies on the team will have graduated so her supporting cast will mostly change.

She is actually pretty good friends with Affolter, Gyamfi & Feuerbach (her longtime roommate). She and McCabe also seem to have a kind of big sister / little sister relationship.

 

[DougFHawkeye]

She is actually pretty good friends with Affolter, Gyamfi & Feuerbach (her longtime roommate). She and McCabe also seem to have a kind of big sister / little sister relationship.

And she pushed for Gabby and Kate to come back, so maybe she feels that she should do that same...or I can hope

 

[Tenacious E]

Caitlin, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston would make a nice Big 3 in Indiana.

Kelsey Mitchell (5'8, 160)
She turned 28 on Nov 12.
2023 WNBA Stats:
18.2 points
3.1 assists
.9 Steals
1.6 Rebounds

Aliyah Boston (6'5, 220)
She turned 22 on Dec 11.
2023 WNBA Stats:
14.5 points
8.4 Rebounds
2.2 Assists
1.3 Steals

Selfishly, I would like to see her in black and gold next season, but it seems like this would be the right time for her to go. Both in terms of the team she would go to and what she has left to prove at the college level.

 

[Franisdaman]

Rapheal Davis is a former Purdue Boilermaker and is currently a College Basketball Analyst for the Big Ten Network.

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[Hawkfan_08]

I am making a mountain out of a molehill but her brother said in the tribute video that he can't wait to see her in the WNBA.

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[Franisdaman]