ESPN reported that the WNBA Draft set a new viewership record on Monday night, attracting an average of 2.45 million viewers. The peak viewership reached 3.09 million, marking a historic milestone for the league.
Notably, this surge in viewership represents a substantial increase, with the audience more than quadrupling compared to the previous year’s draft, which had 572,000 viewers. The previous record draft in 2004 drew 601,000 viewers, featuring Diana Taurasi as the top pick.
This broadcast marked the highest viewership for any WNBA telecast since 2000 when NBC garnered 2.74 million viewers for a Memorial Day game between the New York Liberty and the now-defunct Houston Comets. These impressive numbers highlight the growing popularity of women’s basketball, indicating a promising future for the sport.
During the WNBA Draft 2024 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Caitlin Clark, a two-time Naismith College Player of the Year, was selected as the first overall pick by the Indiana Fever. This selection is a significant milestone for both Clark and the team.
Clark, a standout guard from Iowa, demonstrated her exceptional skills in college, leading her team to consecutive NCAA Division I women’s basketball championship appearances. With remarkable averages of 31.6 points, 8.9 assists, and 7.4 rebounds per game, she secured her place in history as the all-time leader in total points and three-pointers made.
Following Clark’s selection, the Los Angeles Sparks picked Cameron Brink of Stanford as the second overall pick. Brink, a talented center-forward, boasts accolades such as the 2024 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and the 2024 Lisa Leslie Award.
The Chicago Sky completed the top three picks by choosing Kamilla Cardoso of South Carolina, a dominant center pivotal in her team’s national championship win.
A notable moment in the draft was the Chicago Sky’s selection of Angel Reese, a 6-3 forward from LSU. Reese’s impressive performance, including a record-breaking 34 double-doubles during the championship season, solidifies her as a valuable addition to the Sky’s roster.
