In the sports world in 2024, nobody captured the attention of the masses quite like Caitlin Clark.

At least according to Time magazine, which recently named the Indiana Fever star its 2024 Athlete of the Year.

Clark joins Lebron James, Simone Biles, and Michael Phelps in winning the award. Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi won it in 2023.

In speaking with Time, Clark describes her past year — in which she won her second college national player of the year, got selected first overall by the Fever, and won the WNBA Rookie of the Year— as historic.

She also became the NCAA’s D1 all-time leading scorer and helped lead the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016.

“I’ve been able to captivate so many people that have never watched women’s sports, let alone women’s basketball, and turn them into fans,” Clark told Time.

“I’m just scratching the surface of what I can do and hopefully how I can change the world and impact people.”

Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.