Excitement for the WNBA is palpable as fans eagerly anticipate the debut of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese in their professional basketball careers. Clark, known for breaking the NCAA Division I scoring record, and Reese, who set a remarkable NCAA record on her way to a championship in 2023, were standout players in college.
The preseason action kicks off Friday night at 8 p.m., with Clark's Indiana Fever facing off against the Dallas Wings and Reese's Chicago Sky taking on the Minnesota Lynx. The games will be streamed for free on the WNBA app. The Dallas Wings announced that tickets for the game in Arlington have already sold out.
Clark, the first overall pick in this year's draft, will join forces with Aaliyah Boston, last year's top draft pick and the unanimous rookie of the year. The Indiana Fever, who have not made the playoffs since 2016, are currently in the ninth spot in CBS Sports' power rankings. On the other hand, the Chicago Sky, who selected Reese as the seventh pick, are ranked last among the 12 WNBA teams. Reese's college team, LSU, the reigning women's basketball champion, was knocked out of the college tournament this year by Clark.
Chicago Bulls Pin Hopes on Rookie Kamilla Cardoso
Chicago Bulls are placing their bets on rookie talent to turn their team around this season. One of their key acquisitions is Kamilla Cardoso, a 6-foot-7 player selected with the third pick in the draft. Cardoso, who recently led the University of South Carolina to a championship victory over Clark's Hawkeyes in April, is expected to make a significant impact on the team.
In a recent interview with 670 The Score, Dawn Staley, Cardoso's coach, praised Clark as the driving force behind the recent surge in viewership for women's basketball. The championship game, which drew 18.9 million viewers according to ESPN, marked the most-watched college basketball game ever on the network.
Staley emphasized Clark's role in the growth of women's basketball, stating, "She's the greatest of her time. I want women's basketball to grow, and I'm not too shy about saying why it grows. She's made it grow over the past two years."
The WNBA preseason is in full swing and will continue until next Friday, leading up to the regular season tip-off on May 14.
