Caitlin Clark: Sportsbooks Setting High Bar in WNBA for Iowa Star
Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY Odds: -400 Favorite to Win in 2024
With Caitlin Clark opting to bypass her final year of college eligibility for the WNBA Draft, the Iowa star has cemented herself as the surefire No. 1 pick in April. Anything else would be a shock.
After breaking Pete Maravich’s all-time NCAA scoring record, Clark figures to be an instant hit for the Indiana Fever.
How will Clark’s game translate to the pros? At the very least, she is already a heavy favorite to win Rookie of the Year in 2024.
With her time at Iowa winding down, let’s turn the page forward and analyze Caitlin Clark’s WNBA ROY odds.
Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY Odds
- Yes: -400
- No: +250
Stanford’s Cameron Brink, the No. 2 prospect in a majority of mock drafts, could opt to return to school for a fifth season, much like UConn star Paige Bueckers.
The same goes for South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, LSU’s Angel Reese and Buckers’ teammate at UConn, Aaliyah Edwards.
Regardless of how the top of the board shakes out, Caitlin Clark is the clear favorite to land in Indiana. And with that comes massive expectations, to which Clark is no stranger.
Clark is the defending Naismith College Player of the Year and leads the country in scoring. She is the sole reason why No. 3 Iowa is 26-4 and has +800 NCAA Tournament odds, tied with LSU for second on the board behind unbeaten South Carolina (-115).
While shooting her way up the record books, Clark’s fame has reached unrecognizable levels in the women’s game. From starring in TV commercials alongside Jimmy Butler, Reggie Miller and Jake from State Farm to inking NIL deals with Gatorade and Panini, Clark is a transcendent star.
Point being, Clark is in an alternative universe when it comes to expectations. If she can come even close to matching them, voters will have a hard time picking anyone else to win Rookie of the Year.
At this point — given the uncertainty surrounding other top prospects — it’s Clark over the field. Keep that in mind when making your basketball predictions.
Average PPG as a Rookie in 2024
- Over 21.5: -130
- Under 21.5: -110
Averaging 32.3 points, Clark is on pace to win her third NCAA scoring title in four seasons. That’s next-level dominance.
Will Clark maintain that production in the WNBA? The short answer is, well, probably not. No one has averaged 30 points in a season — Diana Taurasi’s 25.2 points per game in 2006 is the single-season record — so Clark likely won’t reach her current levels.
Projections have Clark averaging 21.5 points as a rookie. That is a bit high, too. Even Taurasi, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, averaged only 17 points as a rookie in 2004 and needed three seasons to crack 20. And yet, Taurasi, the No. 1 overall pick, still won Rookie of the Year and finished third in the MVP voting for Phoenix.
Then again, comparisons aren’t linear. Not only is Clark an elite shot-maker, but she also uses her unlimited range to strike from practically anywhere on the court. When Clark is sinking 3-pointers near the logo, as she did to break the all-time Division I women’s scoring record, she is virtually unguardable.
In essence, Clark’s greatest skillsets will translate anywhere. That bodes well for her from the jump, especially as the Fever look to climb their way up the WNBA standings.
For Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY Odds, betting news, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
