Caitlin Clark Named WNBA All-Star Captain After Record 1.3M Fan Votes

Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier will draft WNBA All-Star rosters on June 8; Fever star prioritizes teammates first.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates after scoring a 3-pointer Tuesday, June 17, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Connecticut Sun, 88-71. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has been named captain for the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game after receiving a record-breaking 1,293,526 fan votes, the league announced Sunday. After learning the news, Clark quickly shared her upcoming draft strategy, stating, "Obviously, I’m going to try to get my teammates on my team. Why wouldn’t I?”

The former Iowa Hawkeyes star will lead one of the two squads when the All-Star Game takes place July 19 on her home court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier earned the second captain spot with 1,176,020 votes.

The vote totals represent a massive shift in WNBA fan engagement compared to recent years. Clark's individual total alone surpassed the combined votes for the top 30 All-Star vote-getters from 2023, which totaled 1.17 million. In 2023, Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson led all players with 95,860 votes.

Clark learned of her selection during a phone call from WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. "Caitlin, I just want to personally congratulate you on being named captain for the 2025 WNBA All-Star team," Engelbert said in a video released by the Fever.

"Caitlin, I just want to personally congratulate you on being named captain for the 2025 WNBA All-Star team."@WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert surprised Caitlin Clark with a call to announce her as a captain in the #WNBAAllStar2025 Game ❤️👏 pic.twitter.com/HzRd5CifQb

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 29, 2025

"It's cool that fans get to be a part of it and have a little impact on the game," Clark said. "It's going to be special to do it here in this city. Trying to make it the best All-Star that the WNBA has ever had."

The honor marks another milestone in Clark's transformative impact on the league. WNBA games are averaging 1.32 million viewers this season, nearly triple the 462,000 average from 2023. League-wide attendance has reached a 26-year high with 94 percent capacity.

Clark is averaging 18.2 points and 8.9 assists in her second season despite missing seven games due to injury. When she sits out, national viewership drops by more than 50 percent.

Collier leads the WNBA in scoring at 24.5 points per game while ranking fourth with 8.4 rebounds per contest. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is shooting 51.7 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three-point range.

The remaining eight All-Star starters will be announced on Monday during ESPN's NBA Free Agency show. Coaches will also select 12 reserves, to be announced July 6. Captains Clark and Collier will draft their teams on July 8 during a special edition of WNBA Countdown on ESPN.