Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever guard, has been awarded the prestigious title of the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year in a vote that was almost unanimous, as announced by the league on Thursday. A selection panel comprised of national sportswriters and sportscasters overwhelmingly supported Clark, with 66 out of 67 votes in her favor. The sole dissenting vote went to Angel Reese, the forward for the Chicago Sky.
Clark, who was the top pick from Iowa, showcased exceptional skills throughout the season, averaging 19.2 points and a league-leading 8.4 assists per game. Her performance played a pivotal role in setting new attendance records for the WNBA and capturing mainstream attention. Despite a challenging start to the season, Clark’s resilience and talent shone through, earning her a spot as a starter in the All-Star game. She propelled the Fever from a 1-8 beginning to the playoffs, culminating in a commendable 20-20 record.
Although Clark did not make the U.S. Olympic team, a decision that disappointed many fans, she demonstrated her worth post-Olympics by delivering outstanding performances. Following the Olympic break, she averaged 24.7 points and 9.3 assists in the first ten games, leading the Fever to an impressive 8-2 record during that stretch. Throughout the season, Clark garnered multiple accolades, such as being named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for August, receiving the Player of the Week title thrice, and being recognised as Rookie of the Month on four occasions.
Noteworthy achievements by Clark include recording the first two triple-doubles by a rookie in WNBA history, establishing a league single-game record with 19 assists, and becoming the first rookie to achieve at least 30 points and 10 assists in a single game. She led the league in 3-pointers made with 122, boasted a remarkable 90.6% free-throw accuracy rate, and maintained averages of 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. Moreover, she set a new single-season league record with 337 assists, in addition to rookie records of 769 points and 122 made three-pointers.
Reese, a standout player for the Chicago Sky, showcased her skills by averaging 13.6 points and an impressive 13.1 rebounds per game during the season.
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