Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever qualify for the WNBA playoffs

The year 2024, already a milestone for guard Caitlin Clark, got even better on Wednesday as the Indiana Fever qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2016, ending the franchise’s seven-year playoff drought, the longest in WNBA history.

Clark, the No. 1 pick in the draft and favorite for WNBA Rookie of the Year, and the Fever made the playoffs despite Tuesday’s pause in play thanks to Las Vegas’ 90-71 win over Chicago and Phoenix’s 74-66 victory over Atlanta.

Indiana, which moved to 17-16 on Sunday and recorded its first win since June 2019, is sixth in the WNBA, which sends eight teams to the playoffs.

Seven of the spots are now filled, as Phoenix (17-17) also secured a spot on Tuesday after missing the postseason last year for the first time since 2012. Chicago and Atlanta, both 11-22, are battling for the final spot with Washington, which beat Dallas 90-86 on Tuesday and is 10-23.

New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Las Vegas and Seattle had previously secured their places in the postseason.

Earlier this year, Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I basketball history and capped off her Iowa career with her second consecutive national championship game appearance. She then joined Aliyah Boston in Indiana, the No. 1 pick for 2023 and Rookie of the Year.

Since the Fever’s first media day in May, Clark has talked about the team’s main goal this season: to make the playoffs for the first time since franchise legend Tamika Catchings retired in 2016.

Before the losing streak, the Fever had made the playoffs 12 years in a row and won the WNBA championship in 2012. But the Fever had only single-digit win totals in five of the last seven seasons. Attendance dropped rapidly until 2022, when Indiana went 5-31.

Under new coach Christie Sides and the signing of South Carolina star Boston last year, the Fever’s record improved to 13-27. Then the Fever won the draft lottery again and got Clark.

Boston, Clark and two No. 2 picks, Kelsey Mitchell (2018, of Ohio State) and NaLyssa Smith (2022, of Baylor), made up Indiana’s starting lineup this season. The Fever got off to a rocky start at 1-8 but found their stride. They were 11-15 during the Olympic break and are 6-1 since WNBA play resumed.

Mitchell is Indiana’s leading scorer (19.0), followed by Clark (18.7), Boston (13.4) and Smith (11.1). Clark is the WNBA’s leading assist player (8.4) and Boston (9.0) is in the league’s top 10 in rebounding.

Indiana has seven games left, six of them at home at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, starting Wednesday against Los Angeles. The Fever are the WNBA’s most watched team this season, drawing huge crowds both home and away.

The Fever are the second team in WNBA history to reach the playoffs after starting the season 1-8 or worse. The Charlotte Sting, who disbanded after the 2006 season, reached the 2001 WNBA Finals after starting the season 1-8, losing to Los Angeles.