Does being a #1 draft pick guarantee success?
When a player in any sport is the top draft pick, it usually means that the player is the best college player in the nation. Their market value increases, and you can expect endorsement deals to follow. Caitlin Clark is a recent example.
Clark has endorsements from companies like Nike and Gatorade, and she recently signed with Wilson in exchange for the company manufacturing Clark-branded basketballs. But beyond the money that flows with being a top pick, being a #1 pick doesn’t guarantee team success. That’s because the worst team in the league typically gets the first pick unless there is a lottery selection system in place, as it is in the NBA. The Indiana Fever falls into the “not good” category, and viewers can see Clark’s frustration in games.
Courtesy Orange County Register
The challenge, of course, is when fans blame you for your team’s lack of success and when opponents engage in trash talk. Former NBA center Shaq O’Neal once said, “If I can get into your head at the start of the game, that means I won that battle.”
The pressure to perform professionally is great, and the transition from college to pro is never easy, no matter the sport. Of course, rookie seasons are just that—the first of hopefully many seasons to follow. Still, it’s hard for an athlete because success, which came easily in college, can’t be assumed in the pros, especially at the beginning of a career. Caitlin Clark is facing that situation currently.
How will she and her team respond over an entire season? This question will undoubtedly be asked by fans who will be watching her play–many of whom would probably not watch many, if any, Fever games, otherwise.
Consider it one of many human interest stories that make sports interesting and enjoyable.
I’ve been following Caitlin Clark a little bit. I think she’ll be great for the WNBA. Just give her time. Thanks for the article Matthew Paris. I’m guessing this will be the first of many articles on this young lady.