Caitlin Clark may play for the Indiana Fever, but her shooting has been anything but hot at the start of June.
The WNBA’s No. 1 overall draft selection and NCAA-record-setting Iowa Hawkeyes guard is coming off her worst shooting performance in her 11-game pro career.
Clark made just one of 10 attempts from the field and scored three points in a 104-68 loss to the New York Liberty on June 2. Clark went well under her point total, which was set between 17.5 and 18.5 at U.S. online sportsbooks.
That was a day after she was 4-of-11 shooting with 11 points in a 71-70 victory over the Chicago Sky.
While she’s finding ways to fill up the stat sheet in assists and rebounds, Clark is averaging 15.6 points per game in her young WNBA career, which is underwhelming statistically considering the hype.
Clark averaged 31.6 points per game in her senior season at Iowa and finished as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history with 3,951 points.
“Caitlin Clark is the most bet (WNBA) player,” BetMGM data analyst John Ewing told Covers. “Anytime she goes under her props it is a good outcome for the sportsbook.”
Positive result
Jeff Sherman, the VP of Risk for SuperBook in Las Vegas, told Covers that Clark’s player props have “generated solid interest, with a majority of wagers coming in on under her points prop, but over on the rebounds, assists and 3-point field goals made props.”
Sherman described the action as “well received” and a “positive” result for the sportsbook this season.
Clark has scored 20 points or more in five of her first nine games, but she’s also failed to reach double digits in three contests. She’s averaging 6.4 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game.
It’s a team game
Despite some of the up-and-down stats, Clark’s impact on the WNBA has been felt throughout basketball and sports betting.
“We have seen a strong increase in betting on the WNBA this season,” Ewing said. “We have taken four times as many bets on the WNBA this year compared to the same period last season. This is driven by Caitlin Clark. Of the 10 most bet games this season, six are Fever games and the top 3 most bet games have included the Fever.” However, it’s not translated into winning for her franchise.
The Fever, which finished last in the league in 2023, are just 2-9 overall. The .182 winning percentage ranks third-worst in the WNBA and second-worst in the Eastern Conference.
Odds updates
Clark’s recent struggles have certainly affected the futures market. Shortly after draft night in mid-April, Clark was +1,200 to win WNBA MVP this season and was the fourth player listed at BetMGM.
Clark has since slipped to the 11th player listed at the online sportsbook and is currently +5,000 to win the top player honor.
Clark is -1,000 to claim Rookie of the Year.
The team has also taken a pricing tumble. The Fever was BetMGM’s largest liability at +2,500 to win the WNBA title before the season began. Indiana is now +6,600 to win it all.
Hard contact
Clark made national headlines over the weekend after she was put on the floor by Sky guard Chennedy Carter’s body check on Saturday.
The contact, which occurred while Clark had her back to Carter while awaiting an inbounds pass, was initially ruled a common foul but changed to a Flagrant 1 by the WNBA following the game.
The incident sparked controversy and commentary on social media from Carter and the Fever’s GM, but stepping up in competition, Clark said she’s come to expect “hard shots.”
“It is what it is. I feel like I’m just at the point where you accept it and don’t retaliate,” Clark said after the game. “Just let them hit you, be what it is, don’t let it get inside your head, and know it’s coming.”
