The WNBA didn’t change overnight, but according to Lexie Brown, it didn’t stay the same either after April 15, 2024. Every now and then, a player enters the scene and changes the way a league is viewed. Caitlin Clark was one such arrival as she carried attention, expectations and a different kind of spotlight with her. Within just weeks, it was clear that the landscape of the league had changed.
So now, Brown, who has been in the league long enough (since 2018) to see how the WNBA was viewed now vs then, is opening up about the effect Clark’s arrival had on the league, which was always considered the NBA’s counterpart.
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In an interview with Fox News Digital, the 31-year-old started with how Clark was received when she first entered the league.
“She was a rookie that came in super talented and was number one on everyone’s scouting report,” Brown said, pointing out the level of physicality Clark had to deal with early on. But for Brown, that was never out of the ordinary.
“I think it was just something that she had never seen before. And as a year went on, she adjusted and got used to it… So I think you know it was hard at first for her to deal with that learning curve, growing pains,” she added, noting that Clark eventually adjusted and “came out on top.”
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However, the bigger takeaway by the Seattle Storm guard wasn’t this. It was about what came riding on her back after she entered the league.
“Has it changed how people view the WNBA? Absolutely,” Brown said. “It’s not rocket science to see that since her arrival and the rest of that 2024 class, the WNBA has skyrocketed.”
Since Clark arrived, the massive jump in visibility that the WNBA saw is off the charts. But to put things in perspective, because of her,
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The Indiana Fever is set to have all of its 44 regular-season games nationally broadcast, something no team in league history has had before.
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League attendance saw a nearly 50% rise on average
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The Fever vs the Chicago Sky (in 2025) set the record for regular-season viewership with 2.7 million.
So do you think that kind of exposure happens by accident? The short answer is no. Analysts and fans have labelled this phenomenon as the “Caitlin Clark Effect”, which has redefined the WNBA.
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“I think that people are taking the league more seriously. I think people are taking us more seriously as professional athletes, and I think if you consider that a culture shift, then I would say absolutely. We had a lot of people who would never watch WNBA basketball before,” Brown added.
While it will not be fair for the rest of the players in the league to be credited for the historic 2026 CBA and the media rights expansion, many do believe it was Clark and her massive fanbase which made it all possible. There’s no denying that Clark’s impact is massive but she isn’t the sole reason for the spotlight growing this bright.
Beyond Caitlin Clark, the WNBA Surge isn’t a Solo Story
While Clark may have brought the WNBA into the spotlight, it was multiple stars across the league who stepped up and made sure it stayed. Take Angel Reese, for example.
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The rivalry between Clark and Reese in their college days is still one of the most talked-about events. It first exploded during the 2023 NCAA title game, but didn’t lose any heat once it reached the WNBA. If anything, it got bigger. Matchups between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky have consistently pulled in massive viewers. In 2024, a game between them averaged 2.25 million viewers and in 2025, the season matchup on ABC averaged 2.7 million viewers and peaked at 3.1 million viewers.
But you might be thinking, this includes Caitlin Clark as well, so she may be the reason why. However, that’s not the full picture. In the 2025 season, when Clark was out of the season due to injuries, the Fever and the Sky locked horns once again, and CBS averaged 1.924 million viewers, which made it the third most-watched WNBA game last season.
Jul 20, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team WNBA guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Angel Reese against the USA Women’s National Team during the 2024 WNBA All Star Game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Then there’s A’ja Wilson. As the face of the Las Vegas Aces, Wilson turned the spotlight into her stage. In 2025, she secured her fourth MVP while leading the league in scoring and anchoring one of the most dominant teams in recent history. But her impact didn’t stop on the court. From sold-out arenas to a landmark sneaker deal, Wilson became the business backbone of a league that was suddenly booming. This is exactly why Wilson holds the richest contract in the WNBA signed on a 3-year, $5 million guaranteed supermax contract extension with the Las Vegas Aces.
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Out west, there was another new wave building.
When Cameron Brink matched up against Clark early in the 2024 season, the game drew over 700,000 viewers on ION, which was a massive jump from the network’s previous numbers.
Be it Kelsey Mitchell, Sophie Cunngiham, Kelsey Plum, Napheesa Collier, Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and many more, they all have contributed to the success of the WNBA in their own way.
Yes, Caitlin Clark may have ignited the moment, but every player in the league made sure it didn’t fade. So this isn’t just one star’s era, it’s a league-wide surge, powered by talent, rivalries, and a level of visibility the WNBA hasn’t seen before.
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