Caitlin Clark is headed to the NBA, at the very least for a few nights.
NBC introduced Tuesday that Clark — the Indiana Fever star with an unlimited following inside the sport — is becoming a member of the community’s pregame protection for its debut of “Sunday Night Basketball” this weekend when the Los Angeles Lakers play the New York Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard.
It is set to be a two-night gig for Clark, who plans to return to NBC in one other pregame position on March 29 when the Knicks go to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
“There is not any extra iconic determine in basketball within the ladies’s sport proper now, or the sport usually,” Sam Flood, government producer for NBC Sports activities, advised The Related Press. “So, we stated, ‘let’s have an even bigger dialog.'”
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It is a logical match: NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Company, and Clark introduced that she entered a advertising relationship with Xfinity in March 2024. Clark has performed some tv work earlier than, together with a cameo on NBC’s “Saturday Night Reside” in April 2024.
NBC is looking Clark “a particular contributor” who will be a part of the “Basketball Night in America” studio workforce of host Maria Taylor and analysts Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady — all Basketball Corridor of Famers — for pregame commentary.
“I am actually excited to be a part of the Basketball Night in America crew this season,” Clark stated in an announcement launched by NBC. “Carmelo, Vince, and Tracy are legends of the sport and Maria is a real skilled. It will likely be actually enjoyable to hitch them just a few occasions this season.”
Clark’s résumé is stellar: She is a two-time WNBA All-Star and was an All-WNBA first-team choose in 2024 on her strategy to successful rookie of the 12 months after being the league’s No. 1 draft choice that season. At Iowa, Clark grew to become the all-time main scorer in NCAA Division I historical past with 3,951 factors and was the AP’s faculty participant of the 12 months twice — in addition to the AP’s feminine athlete of the 12 months in 2024.
Flood stated he is satisfied Clark can deal with this new position.
“She’s had cameras pointed at her for years, and he or she’s actually all the time placed on a present with a basketball in her hand. And after a sport ends, she’s all the time an amazing interview,” Flood stated. “She’s all the time so considerate in all the pieces she says. And to have the power to try this on this platform, with this workforce, it may be lots of enjoyable to take heed to it. That is the fantastic thing about who she is.”
Clark has dabbled in sports activities broadcasting earlier than, going viral as soon as for making an attempt to do some play-by-play whereas watching the Philadelphia Phillies, not realizing Fever teammate Lexie Hull was secretly recording her.
The Phillies gave Clark rave opinions and even invited her to return attempt it for actual. And now, NBC is giving her that chance as nicely.
“She’s going to be in a basketball enviornment, like she all the time is, and in her consolation zone — which is on the courtroom speaking in regards to the sport she loves and the game that she shines in,” Flood stated. “So, what higher place for her to debut than in Madison Sq. Backyard with this nice workforce of expertise round her? We’re assured she’ll thrive, as a result of a basketball courtroom is her second house.”
Clark was restricted to 13 video games due to harm final season with the Fever, who made it to the WNBA semifinals and fell to the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces. She returned to the courtroom in December, collaborating in a camp with USA Basketball’s senior ladies’s nationwide workforce.
When she’ll play an actual sport once more stays unclear: The WNBA and its gamers stay in a labor dispute that would threaten the 2026 season. Clark has made her ideas clear, saying final month that these talks are “the largest second” for the WNBA and that “there must be compromise on each side” to strike the precise deal.
It is unknown if she is going to handle labor issues Sunday. However Flood dropped one tease about what may be coming throughout Clark’s debut look.
“We’re hoping to have Caitlin with a basketball in her hand,” Flood stated.