The NBA needs Caitlin Clark more than Caitlin Clark needs the NBA. That’s the message sent this week when the WNBA Rookie of the Year declined an invitation to participate in a 3-point shootout during NBA All-Star Weekend next month at the Bay Area.

Sports Business Journal first reported that the NBA hoped Ms. Clark would participate in a shooting contest similar to last year when Golden State superstar Stephen Curry was matched against New York Liberty sharp-shooter Sabrina Ionescu in a 3-point shootout. Mr. Curry defeated Ms. Ionescu in one of the marquee events of the NBA weekend.

In an era when athletes make every attempt for national exposure to build their brands, Ms. Clark continues to enjoy her offseason after her first year in the WNBA with the Indiana Fever. She declined a $1 million offer to compete in the new 3-on-3 Unrivaled League currently underway at Miami.  Now she has declined an offer to partner with the NBA at one of its biggest events.

Speculation is Ms. Clark might participate in a 3-point contest when Indianapolis hosts the 2025 WNBA ALL-Star Game in July. The Fever and Indianapolis are working to make the All-Star Game the signature event in what many view as a crucial season. 

“We are in the middle of a pivotal, transformational moment in the history of the WNBA and women’s basketball and we are thrilled Indiana will be the center of it all with the game’s biggest stars on display during next season’s All-Star Game,” the chief executive of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Mel Raines, said earlier in the year. “Leaders across our community are going to do what we do best: welcome fans from around the nation and the globe to Indiana, raise the bar for future host cities, and leave a lasting legacy for our city and our state.”

The WNBA is looking to capitalize on the unprecedented attention it received last year with record attendance at games and record television ratings. With the addition of Ms. Clark, the first overall pick, the Fever led the WNBA in attendance with an average of just under 17,000 and 10 of Indiana’s games set league TV viewership records.

Last year’s WNBA All-Star Game at Phoenix featured a group of WNBA All-Stars, including Ms. Clark, playing against the U.S. Olympic team, which went on to capture a gold medal at Paris. The All-Stars won 117-109 in a game watched by 3.44 million.

Last year’s NBA All-Star Game at Indianapolis attracted 5.5 million viewers, but the contest has come under criticism in recent years for its lack of competition. The East beat the West, 211-186, after returning to its original format with four 12-minute quarters after a record-low audience of 4.59 million in 2023.

The NBA was hoping that pitting Ms. Clark against Mr. Curry in a 3-point shooting contest would boost weekend numbers and please its press partners. Instead, Ms. Clark will continue to enjoy her best life. On Sunday she returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena at Iowa City where the University of Iowa is retiring the No. 22 jersey she wore during her record-setting collegiate career.

Ms. Clark became college basketball’s all-time leading scorer, men and women, and led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship games. A four-time AP All-American, she led the national in ten different offensive categories, including averaging 31.6 points and 8.9 assists per game.

“I’m forever proud to be a Hawkeye and Iowa holds a special place in my heart that is bigger than just basketball,” she said in a statement released by the university. “It means the world to me to receive this honor and celebrate it with my family, friends, and alumni. It will be a great feeling to look up in the rafter and see my jersey alongside those that I’ve admired for so long.”

Iowa will play USC in a nationally televised game on Sunday. “Caitlin Clark has not only redefined excellence on the court but has also inspired countless young athletes to pursue their dreams with passion and determination,” Iowa’s athletic director, Beth Coetz, said. “Her remarkable achievements have left an indelible mark on the University of Iowa and the world of women’s basketball. Retiring her number is a testament to her extraordinary contributions and a celebration of her legacy that will continue to inspire future generations.”

Ms. Clark went from ending her college career with a loss to South Carolina in the NCAA Women’s National Championship Game to being drafted and starting her WNBA career the next month. She has said she wanted to take a well-deserved rest and recharge. She has played golf in the pro-am of an LPGA Tournament hosted by Annika Sorenstam and was seen sitting in a suite at Arrowhead Stadium alongside Taylor Swift to watch the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Los Angeles Rams in a playoff game.

“It’s just cute to see how excited she is for the Chiefs,” Ms. Clark told People magazine. “Getting to share that with her, ‘I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I love this!’ She loves the Chiefs as much as me.”

Ms. Clark has also given back by awarding $22,000 in grants through her foundation to four Iowa charities: the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, the Coralville Community Food Pantry, the Boys and Girls Club of the Corridor, and the Special Olympics Iowa-East Central. “I am proud to be part of each of these organization’s efforts and the meaningful impact they provide for the people of Iowa,” Ms. Clark said.