Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink showcase one-ups LeBron James and the Lakers

The Indiana Fever won their first game of the season over the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday night in a matchup between two top-tier rookies in Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink. Clark nearly notched a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Brink, meanwhile, had 15 points in 26 minutes of action.

While the on-court success of both players deserves the most attention, the WNBA's growing popularity cannot and should not be ignored. The emergence of Clark, Angel Reese, Brink and more in their first season has aided a viewership carryover from the most recent women's NCAA Tournament, which broke records in its own right.

However, the impact of this rookie class can even be felt at the stadium. While the Fever have frequently drawn sellout crowds, especially at home in Indianapolis, a rare matchup between Clark and Brink featured a crowd that would make LeBron James and the Lakers jealous. Seriously.

Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink one-up LeBron James and the Lakers

While most would rather avoid the trivial comparisons between men's and women's sports, the Lakers are used to being the best show in town. Crypto.com Arena typically brings out Hollywood actors and musicians alike for courtside Lakers seats. The Lakers ranked 11th in attendance this past season, with the Chicago Bulls leading the way at an average of just over 20k per game.

Wherever Clark goes, high attendance seems to follow. This is undoubtedly good for women's hoops, even if Clark is getting most of the attention from the outset. The hope is, eventually, fans will flock for the WNBA's greatest stars, rather than just the rookie out of Iowa.

The Fever are off to a subpar start to the season, as they've faced a gauntlet of top-tier teams on the early schedule. Indiana had the No. 1 pick for a reason, and this is a young team learning on the fly. Picking up their first win provides Clark and Co. something to build on. Clark has struggled to find her shot through six games, but as her statline suggests, has made an impact in other ways.

"I thought I played a really good game other than [shooting]," Clark said. "Whether I was rebounding, finding my teammates, I thought I was really active on defense, so I didn't let that bother me, and that's something I'm really proud of."

Clark isn't used to losing, but the Fever are in the midst of a rebuild. Sellout crowds are a nice side-effect of the excitement she has helped bring to the WNBA. Sustainability is the next step.