Who is Caitlin Clark? The college star ready to shine in the WNBA

All eyes will be on Caitlin Clark when the Women's National Basketball Association season begins on 14 May.

Clark, 22, will make her debut in the professional league after she was selected by the Indiana Fever as the first pick in the draft.

She broke major records in college and has boosted the popularity of women's basketball.

BBC Sport looks at the 'Caitlin Clark Effect'.

• Clark makes women's basketball the hottest ticket around

• Boosting profile of women's sport 'the coolest part' - Clark

Who is Caitlin Clark?

Clark, who is 6ft tall, was born in Des Moines, Iowa.

She attended the University of Iowa, where she starred as a point guard for her college basketball team, the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The Hawkeyes reached their first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I women's basketball championship game in 2023 and also made the final this year, but lost both.

Clark's college basketball stats

Clark is the all-time leading scorer in men's and women's college basketball, with 3,951 points, breaking the record held by Pete Maravich for 54 years.

She averaged 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game and also made a NCAA record 201 three-pointers this season, smashing the mark of 162 held by Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and former Liberty Flames guard Darius McGhee.

Clark's performances led to record viewing figures in the USA, with 18.9 million people watching this season's NCAA final.

The Hawkeyes have since retired her number 22 jersey.

Who will Clark play for in the WNBA?

As expected, Clark was selected first in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever and is already having a major impact.

The Fever will have 36 of their 40 regular-season games broadcast nationally, compared to one last year.

They had the second-lowest attendance of the 12 WNBA teams in 2023, but that trend is unlikely to continue.

Clark's Fever jersey is the top-selling jersey in history for a draft pick, according to retailer Fanatics.

How much will Clark earn?

Clark is expected to sign a contract with the Fever worth $338,000 (£271,000) over four years. Last year's number one pick in the NBA draft, Victor Wembanyama, secured a $55m (£44m) four-year deal.

US President Joe Biden and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson are among the notable figures to criticise the disparity.

Clark is reportedly set to sign an eight-figure endorsement deal with Nike, including a signature shoe.

Will Clark play in the Olympics?

Clark was called up to the USA team roster for a training camp on 3-5 April but could not attend because the Hawkeyes were still in the NCAA tournament.

The USA, who are targeting an eighth consecutive Olympic gold at Paris 2024, have until 7 July to submit their team. The competition starts on 28 July.