Caitlin Clark, the guard for the Indiana Fever, has been unanimously named the 2024 Associated Press WNBA Rookie of the Year, as announced today. This accolade follows her impressive achievements this season, including being named WNBA Rookie of the Month four times and receiving the title of WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month in August. Clark joins Aliyah Boston as one of the only Fever players to earn this prestigious recognition.
In addition to her Rookie of the Year honor, Clark has been selected for the AP All-WNBA First Team alongside notable players such as Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas, and A’ja Wilson. She is also a member of the AP All-Rookie Team, which includes Kamilla Cardoso, Leonie Fiebich, Rickea Jackson, and Angel Reese.
Clark made a significant impact in her debut year, starting all 40 regular-season games and setting various WNBA records. She ended the regular season as the top rookie in scoring (19.2 points per game), field goals made (242), three-point field goals made (122), assists (8.4 per game), steals (1.3 per game), and minutes played (35.4 per game). Notably, she not only led the rookie class but also topped the entire league in assists (337) and three-point field goals made.
Her breakout season saw her achieve the most points (769), assists, and three-point field goals made by a rookie in WNBA history. Clark’s 769 points are also the most recorded in a single season for the Fever franchise and the highest ever by a point guard in the league. She surpassed the previous single-season assist record of 316 and recorded the most double-digit scoring games (35) by a rookie, along with the highest number of double-doubles (14) in a single season for a rookie guard.
Clark made history as the first rookie to record a triple-double in the WNBA and is also the first player in Fever history to achieve this feat. On July 17, she set a new record for the most assists in a single game with 19 during a match against the Dallas Wings. Moreover, she holds the franchise record for the most games with at least 10 assists (12).
Clark was selected for the WNBA All-Star Game on July 20, becoming the third rookie in Fever history to start an All-Star game. During her 26 minutes of play, she tied the record for the second-most assists in an All-Star game with 10. Her popularity was evident as she received a record-breaking 700,735 votes for the All-Star Game. In August, she became the first player in league history to hold both WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month and Rookie of the Month honors in the same month.
Today, the Indiana Fever will begin their postseason journey against the Connecticut Sun in Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena, with the game scheduled to tip off at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.