Before focusing in solely on basketball, Caitlin Clark played a number of sports growing up—including tennis. Clark said that growing up, Serena Williams was her favorite athlete ever, and an overall inspiration to her as a young athlete.

Clark, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, starred with the Fever immediately, averaging 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Those strong numbers earned her an All-Star selection, the Rookie of the Year Award, and a spot on the All-WNBA First Team.

Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark is undoubtedly one of the most popular female athletes today; she inspires many young girls with her incredible skills and determination on the court. But little do people know that Clark's journey to hoop superstardom would not have happened without the inspiration that tennis legend Serena Williams provided.