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Caitlin Clark Crowned WNBA Rookie of the Year
Caitlin Clark has been recognized as the WNBA Rookie of the Year, with a remarkable showing in the voting process. This award marks a consecutive win for the Indiana Fever, following last season’s recipient, Aliyah Boston.
A national panel comprising sportswriters and broadcasters overwhelmingly supported Clark, awarding her 66 out of 67 votes, with Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky receiving the remaining vote.
Drafted first overall from the University of Iowa, Clark made a significant impact during her inaugural season. She averaged 19.2 points and an impressive 8.4 assists per game, leading the league in assists. Her performance contributed to record-breaking attendance figures and boosted the league’s visibility among mainstream audiences. Although she faced challenges early on, Clark rebounded, earning a spot as an All-Star starter. Ultimately, she helped propel the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, finishing the season with a solid 20-20 record after a difficult start of 1-8.
2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year voting results
Reflecting on her season after the Fever’s first-round playoff elimination, Clark showed a commitment to continuous improvement. “I’m a tough grader. I feel like I had a solid year… I know there’s a lot of room for me to continue to improve,” she stated, showcasing her determination to enhance her contributions to the franchise.
Despite not being selected for the US Olympic team, which disappointed many fans, Clark demonstrated her value in the games that followed the Olympic break. During this stretch, she averaged 24.7 points and 9.3 assists, leading the Fever to an impressive 8-2 record.
Throughout the season, Clark was honored as the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for August, achieved the Player of the Week title three times, and won the Rookie of the Month award four times. Notably, she made history by recording the first two triple-doubles by a rookie in the WNBA’s history, established a league record with 19 assists in a single game, and became the first rookie to reach 30 points and 10 assists in a game.
In addition to her playmaking abilities, Clark also led the league with 122 three-pointers, ranked second in free-throw accuracy at 90.6%, and averaged 5.7 rebounds alongside 1.3 steals. She set a new single-season record with 337 assists and achieved rookie records for total points (769) and three-pointers made.
For the Chicago Sky, Reese averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds during her rookie season, showcasing her emerging talent.
On a broader scale, the combined presence of Clark, Reese, and their peers provided a significant boost in both television ratings and attendance for the WNBA. Six different broadcasting partners reported record viewership for the most-watched WNBA games in history, with all these games featuring the Fever.
The Fever led the league in attendance, averaging 17,036 fans at home and over 15,000 on the road. This surge in popularity prompted several teams to relocate their games to larger venues when Indiana visited, ensuring they could accommodate the growing fanbase.
Despite a challenging playoff debut against Connecticut, which resulted in a substantial loss, the interest remained high. The game attracted 1.8 million viewers, marking it as the WNBA’s most-watched playoff matchup since the 2000 Finals and the highest-viewed playoff game on ESPN, even amidst strong NFL competition.
Source
www.theguardian.com