Caitlin Clark Ranks Above Becky Hammon on Forbes Most Powerful Women List
Anybody who has followed women's basketball in recent years should be able to understand just how impactful Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark has been on the game's growth.
Clark became a globally renowned name during her historic college career at the University of Iowa. The acclaim she accrued there quickly transitioned over to her time in the WNBA, as she set numerous records during her rookie 2024 campaign that earned her the honor of being named the WNBA Rookie of the Year for that season.
While what Clark has accomplished on the court despite being just 23 years old is staggering, the influence and impact she has continued to have off the court are also awesome. Her business dealings have allowed her to make millions, and people seem to hang on her every word whenever she speaks, regardless of what she's speaking about.
Caitlin Clark's Forbes 'Most Powerful Ranking in Sports' Ranking Turns Heads
All of these factors contributed to Clark being named the No. 4 most powerful woman in sports in a Forbes list that was published on October 22.
When it came to Clark (who was behind New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson, FanDuel CEO Amy Howe, and Nike brand president Amy Montagne), the list wrote, "Caitlin Clark has turned her record-breaking college basketball career into early dominance in the WNBA. Her estimated $8.1 million in income from her rookie season with the Indiana Fever was bolstered by big deals with Nike, Wilson and Gatorade and signals a shift in how female athletes are being valued in the world of professional sports.
"Last month, the Fever announced that Clark would be sidelined with an injury for the remainder of the WNBA season to focus on her recovery, but the injury doesn’t change the fact that Clark has, in the last two years, been the spark that lit the match that set women’s sports on fire," it added.
Caitlin Clark is named on Forbes Americas Most Powerful 25 Woman in Sports list🥹
— Krys🫶🏼 (@GaterGoggles) October 22, 2025
#4 Caitlin Clark Guard, Indiana Fever Athletes
Caitlin Clark has turned her record-breaking college basketball career into early dominance in the WNBA. Her estimated $8.1 million in income from… pic.twitter.com/vmJy20MR5D
Clark wasn't the only women's basketball icon who was included on the list. Unrivaled co-founders Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart came in at No. 9, Las Vegas Aces superstar A'ja Wilson was at No. 15, South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley was at No. 20, and Aces coach Becky Hammon was at No. 22.
Introducing Forbes’ inaugural list of America’s Most Powerful Women In Sports
— Forbes (@Forbes) October 22, 2025
From the wealthiest owners to groundbreaking players to innovative executives, meet the sports world’s 25 most dynamic game-changers.#ForbesWomenInSports: https://t.co/3zYoabY5Es pic.twitter.com/sDkjU6V7cm
It's awesome to see how many women's basketball players were included in this list, especially because the only active athletes were Coco Gauff (No. 13), Simone Biles (No. 18), and Clark's golfer friend Nelly Korda (No. 21).
2025 was the first time Forbes created and released this list. It will be cool to see how high Clark (and all the other women's basketball icons that were included) can climb up it in the years to come.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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