In a season denoted by record-breaking performances, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has been unanimously selected as the 2024 Associated Press WNBA Rookie of the Year.
The award adds to a long list of accolades for Clark, who was also named to the AP All-WNBA First Team and the AP All-Rookie Team. Clark becomes the second Fever player to win the prestigious honor, joining forward Aliyah Boston (2023).
Clark started all 40 regular season games for the Fever and quickly established herself as one of the league’s top premier playmakers. Leading all rookies in scoring (19.2 points per game) assists (8.4 assists per game) and 3-point field goals made (122), Clark not only dominated her rookie class but also left her mark on the entire league.
One of her most impressive achievements was her league-leading 337 assists, shattering the previous WNBA record of 316. Clark also set a franchise record with 769 points, the most ever by a point guard in a single season in the league’s history.
Earlier this season before winning the honors, Clark was asked about her thoughts on awards such as Rookie of the Year.
“We don’t wake up and think about individual awards,” Clark said. “We are fighting for a playoff spot. That is our main focus.”
Since that interview, Clark and Fever went on to lock up the No. 6 seed for the 2024 playoffs. The franchise had not made the playoffs since 2016.
Additionally, Clark made headlines by becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double. In a July 17 game against the Dallas Wings, Clark dished out a record 19 assists, the most in a single WNBA game.
Clark’s influence extended beyond the regular season, as she made her WNBA All-Star debut, becoming only the third rookie in Fever history to start in an All-Star Game.
During the All-Star Game, Clark recorded 10 assists, tying the second-most assists in All-Star Game history. She also garnered the most All-Star Game votes ever, receiving 700,735 fan votes.
In August, Clark won Rookie of the Month. During that time, she earned best player in the Eastern Conference honors, which had never been done in the league’s history. Her remarkable consistency was highlighted by her 35 double-digit scoring games and 14 double-doubles, which are both records for a rookie guard in WNBA history.
Contact multi-media & senior sports reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. Check out more WNBA news here.
This article was fair, concise and very well written by Noral Parham. I hope this comment reaches him, other writers and Caitlin Clark fans everywhere.
A’ja Wilson is amazing and deserves a top honor for her season. The problem is that she isn’t the Most VALUABLE Player. Caitlin Clark is the MVP! Most VALUABLE Player to her own team and to the WNBA. That is the truth of it. The following lays out of the measure of it.
She is responsible for a new WNBA record 1,520 combined points using her 769 points scored (the new rookie record) and the total calculated points scored from her 337 assists which is a new WNBA record.
That is 45% of all Indiana Fever’s points! This is also a new WNBA record by an astronomical amount! Run the numbers. No one else in history is close.
A’ja is responsible for 1,214 combined points from her new WNBA record 1,021 points scored and adding the points scored from her 88 assists.
That is 35% of Las Vegas Aces points.
At last count CC has broken over 60 records that I know of. That is legendary and generational numbers.
There it is. Who is more VALUABLE to their team and the league?
Not to mention the millions of new dollars brought in by the explosion of new fans Cailtlin has brought with her. Her last regular season game (which was an AWAY game) set a new WNBA attendance record of 20,711 fans.
The Mystics moved the Fever game to the Capital One Arena from the usual Entertainment and Sports Arena which sits 4,200 fans. It does not usually sell out. Those were fans wanting to see the leader and playmaker Caitlin and her teammates of Kelsey, Aliyah, Lexy and NaLyssa.
The Fever made the playoffs with 20 wins an 20 losses this year after not making it in the previous 6 years. Their record was 13 and 27 last year. The difference was…Caitlin Clark.
The Fever had the top 15 games in viewership this season. More eyes and more money than you can calculate…
That proves she is the most VALUABLE player in league history. Do the math…
The overall attendance increase is due to Caitlin’s presence this year. So who is the Most VALUABLE Player? You got it!