Legendary commentator Mike Breen has compared Caitlin Clark’s impact on the popularity of the WNBA to that of Michael Jordan and LeBron James in the NBA.

The women’s college basketball icon made the successful transition to the professional scene after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft. Embarking on her maiden campaign with the Indiana Fever, the 22-year-old broke 11 records during a historic first season in the league.

Despite falling short in the playoffs, Clark ended the regular season having tallied up an average of 9.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. Her mesmerizing displays have proven a major draw for viewers too, with games featuring the point guard yielding an average of 1.178 million viewers – treble the mean figure for other WNBA clashes.

Speaking during the NBA game between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, commentator Breen remarked upon the impact Clark has had since moving to Indianapolis. He said: “During the Summer when the Indiana Fever played here with Caitlin Clark, the building was packed every game.

“The TV ratings of the Fever this Summer for the local telecast were higher than a lot of the Pacers game because of Caitlin Clark,” the television personality continued. “She’s doing rating wise for the WNBA what Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Steph Curry have been doing for the NBA.

Giving Clark the credit for her transformative effect on the popularity of the WNBA, he said: “Don’t get it twisted, don’t get it f—– up. Caitlin Clark is the reason why a lot of great things are gonna happen for the WNBA. But for her individually, I don’t think she should get involved on [anything] that’s being said, just go have fun, enjoy.”

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Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark has proven a major draw for viewers during the infancy of her WNBA career

Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark has proven a major draw for viewers during the infancy of her WNBA career ( 

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Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

This comes after LeBron himself spoke in glowing terms about the 2024 Rookie of the Year, saying: “I’m rooting for Caitlin because I’ve been in that seat before, I’ve walked that road before. I hope she kills, I hope [Fever teammate] Aliyah Boston does amazing. I hope they do great.”

After receiving the prize, Clark said: “I am incredibly honored to be named Rookie of the Year, but more than that, I am grateful to everyone that supported me throughout this past season – my family and friends, my teammates, the Fever organization and everyone that cheered us on all season. “I am so proud of what we accomplished and so excited for what the future holds.”

Still, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has insisted that Clark’s peers should also receive credit for the rising popularity of the league, saying: “No league’s ever about one player. That player could get hurt or whatever. So I think it’s just to give recognition that in sports, people watch for compelling content and rivalries. And you can’t do that alone as one person.”