Caitlin Clark's 'Historic' Impact Earns Praise from WNBA Veteran

Caitlin Clark has been breaking records and bringing unprecedented attention to the WNBA in her rookie season, with one longtime veteran saying her entry to the league is a "pivotal moment" for women's sports.

Atlanta Dream veteran Cheyenne Parker-Tyus told Us Weekly that Clark's effect stretches well beyond the floor, giving a boost to all women's sports.

“It’s a pivotal moment in time for women’s sports,” Parker-Tyus said. “Caitlin Clark coming in and having this effect … she has been historic for this time in women’s sports and she’s brought all these new fans. It’s like the beginning of a new era right now.”

The Indiana Fever rookie is in the midst of a record-setting rookie season, making the all-time mark for assists in a game with 19 and on track to earn Rookie of the Year honors.

Parker-Tyus, who came into the WNBA in 2015, said she has never seen such a high level of attention on women's sports.

“The effect that she has had is kind of unbelievable,” Parker-Tyus said. “We have to change arenas for this girl so that all her fans can fit in the gym. To see the growth and the buy-in is amazing.”

Parker-Tyus is not alone in praising Clark for the attention she has brought to the WNBA. The league's chief growth officer, Colie Edison, told the IndyStar that Clark has brought in new fans and record ratings.

“I'm not going to deny the Caitlin Clark effect,” Edison said. “And we've really seen it most importantly in viewership, you know, our average viewership numbers are over 1.2 million.

“That sort of growth is important because we're opening the aperture and bringing in new fans. So Caitlin was really a catalyst to bringing in a lot of new fans, as well as our other rookies, who came in through NCAA into this draft. It's been an amazing draft class to watch.”

Related: The 12 Best Caitlin Clark Jerseys and Merch to Buy Right Now—Because You Should Have Just As Many Picks as the Draft