Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has made a significant impact in the WNBA. It is something that Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase moved to highlight.

Appearing on the broadcast of the Golden State Warriors home preseason game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday, Nakase, who was recently named coach of the expansion team Valkyries, shared her thoughts on Clark’s impact on WNBA.

The 44-year-old coach shared that she is not surprised at how things turned out for Clark in her rookie season, having seen what she was able to do back in college and the impact it had. She also touted that things are looking up for the league with her in tow.

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She said:

“She is amazing… I’m not surprised. She has helped the W in a great impactful way and now we’re just moving foward with her energy.”
Check out what she had to say below:

The top overall pick in this year’s WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark, made the Fever among the most popular, if not the most popular, teams in the WNBA. She, along with other high-profile rookies, is also being credited with adding a new dimension to the lure of the WNBA, which has resulted in significant improvements in the turnout at venues as well as TV viewership from previous seasons.

Meanwhile, Nakase and Valkyries will be making their WNBA debut in the 2025 season. They are gearing up for assembling a competitive squad from the expansion draft later this year and the WNBA rookie draft, where they will select fifth overall.

Caitlin Clark looking forward to Year 2 following historic WNBA rookie season
Caitlin Clark had an eventful WNBA rookie season, which she is very grateful for and looking forward to continuing in her second year in the league.

The reigning Rookie of the Year took to Instagram to reflect on the kind of season she had in the WNBA, highlighting how it was a realization of a childhood dream and how grateful she is for the journey and the people she met along the way.

Clark wrote:

“Year one [check] — thank you to the many people who have supported me as I’ve been able to live my childhood dream. I’m filled with gratitude as I reflect on this past year of my life. See you all in year two.”

Clark distinguished herself as the best rookie in her class after averaging 19.2 points, 8.4 assists (league-high), 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 40 games. She finished fourth in the MVP voting while also helping the Indiana Fever return to the playoffs after eight years.