Caitlin Clark was on Basketball Night in America at the recent Knicks-Thunder game, marking her return to the show after her viral debut in February.

The Indiana Fever star, who was featured as a special contributor by NBC Sports, was asked what she felt her role was in the growth of women's sports. The question came in the backdrop of the new WNBA CBA deal and the constant assertion that she was the face of the W.

“I honestly think I'm just very much myself. That's how I try to approach it”, Caitlin Clark said. “This was never my goal to change women's sports. I just showed up, played, and loved every single second of it. I feel a responsibility to show up and put a smile on everybody’s face that buys a ticket and comes and watches us play."

She continued, "I always tell people, when you buy a ticket, and you come and watch the Fever play, you keep coming back for more. And I think that goes for all of women's sports as well. So I think that's kind of my responsibility, but I don't always put that on myself. I just go out there and have fun. It's what I do. I can't believe it's my job. I feel very lucky."

Caitlin Clark's comments come ahead of the 2026 WNBA season, which is set to begin in May.

The upcoming season will mark her return to W after she was sidelined by an injury in July 2025. However, she made her return to the sport earlier this month, leading Team USA with her dominant run at the FIBA Qualifiers in Puerto Rico.

Caitlin Clark was named the Tissot MVP for her contributions to the team, which ended the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record.

Having said that, the WNBA phenomenon recently opened up about the future of women's sports.

Caitlin Clark Thinks the Best Is Yet to Come

Speaking at the recent Women Change the Game event by Uber, Clark sat down for a Q&A session where she was asked what the future held for women's sports.

"It’s hard to say where women’s sports specifically is going to be because a lot of people like never thought that it could get to this moment that we’re in. But I truly think this is just the beginning," Caitlin Clark said.

She continued, "I don’t think it’s just women’s sports. I think it’s the way women are valued across the world and what we can bring to the table. So, I’m really excited to see where things go. I think this is going to be a really special year. We just signed a new CBA in the W."

The new CBA, which will significantly benefit WNBA players in many ways, is set to increase Clark's salary from $78,066 last season to around $530,000.

Caitlin Clark will return with the Fever on May 9 against the Wings.

Written by

Deblina Roy

Edited by

Arvind Rao