WNBA Draft Ratings Reveal Reality After Caitlin Clark Effect

Women's basketball ratings remain on the rise.

Apr 15, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Caitlin Clark poses with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after she is selected with the number one overall pick to the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft at Brooklyn Academy of Music. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The biggest names in NCAA women's basketball are now a part of history after the 2026 WNBA Draft was the second most-watched draft ever, according to ESPN PR.

This year's draft reached 1.5 million viewers and even peaked at 1.8 million. These numbers are second only to 2024's Draft, where ESPN's broadcast saw a record-breaking 2.45 million viewers—the same year Caitlin Clark was drafted No. 1 overall, jump-starting an explosion in popularity for the league.

And since Clark took Iowa and then the WNBA by storm, a trend has emerged. While numbers haven't quite reached those peaks, they have consistently gone up from where they were prior to Clark's arrival. This is shown through draft ratings in 2025 and 2026 more than doubling those from 2022 and 2023, even if they didn't equal 2024.

The same goes for the NCAA, where the most recent national championship game between UCLA and South Carolina was the third-most watched ever on ESPN networks—trailing only the two Clark played in.

The WNBA has also seen increased interest across the board since 2024.

For the 2026 edition of the draft, there was much anticipation around who would be selected No. 1 overall to join Paige Bueckers on the Dallas Wings. To no surprise, that honor went to UConn's Azzi Fudd, who completed a decorated career at one of the nation's most prestigious women's basketball schools, including capturing a national title as a member of the Huskies.

Viewership for last few WNBA Drafts:

🏀 ‘22: 403,000 viewers
🏀 ‘23: 572,000 viewers
🏀 ‘24: 2.45 million viewers
🏀 ‘25: 1.25 million viewers
🏀 ‘26: 1.5 million viewers

📈 https://t.co/c1Mkv3mj4u

— Vanshay Murdock🎥 NEW ACCOUNT (@mvanshay) April 15, 2026

WNBA Draft Viewers See UCLA Make History

The future of the WNBA is in good hands. What was on full display during this year's NCAA tournament was a plethora of elite talent from various programs, but none boasted as much top-talent as the newly crowned national champions, UCLA. The Bruins were the first program to ever have five players selected in the first round of the draft, and had the most picks overall by a single school.

Lauren Betts (selected No. 4 overall) was the first Bruin off the board and will begin her professional career with the Washington Mystics. Gabriela Jaquez (selected No. 5 by Chicago Sky), Kiki Rice (selected No. 6 by Toronto Tempo), Angela Dugalic (selected No. 9 by Washington) and Gianna Kneepkens (selected No. 15 by Connecticut Sun) were all first-round picks. Charlisse Leger-Walker became the sixth UCLA player selected when she was taken No. 18 overall by the Sun, joining Kneepkens.

Six in one. 🔥

UCLA becomes the first program in #WNBADraft history with six players selected in a single draft, including five in the first round!

No. 4: Lauren Betts ➡️ @WashMystics
No. 5: Gabriela Jaquez ➡️ @ChicagoSky
No. 6: Kiki Rice ➡️ @TempoBasketball
No. 9 Angela… pic.twitter.com/8q992tOGGa

— WNBA (@WNBA) April 14, 2026

It's clear the UCLA program is on the rise, along with women's basketball as a whole, as things continue to trend up for the sport after the Caitlin Clark Effect.