After a historic rookie season with the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark was named WNBA Rookie of the Year on Thursday, receiving 66 of 67 votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Angel Reese received the only vote.
This season, Clark averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game, leading the Fever to the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. She set countless records during her rookie season, including most assists in a game (19) and most assists in a season (321). She also scored more points and made more 3-pointers than any rookie in history, making her the first triple-double in history by a first-year player. She was named Rookie of the Month four times and Eastern Conference Player of the Week three times.
“I'm very honored to be named Rookie of the Year, but I would also like to thank my family, friends, teammates, Fever organization, and everyone who has supported me throughout this season. Thank you to everyone who gave,” Clark said in a press release shared by the Indiana Fever. “I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished and so excited about what the future holds.”
This year, it seemed likely that Clark would miss out on the award after a strong second half of the season, but Sky forward Angel Reese also had an excellent freshman campaign. The main question became whether Mr. Clark's vote would be unanimous. Last year, Fever Center's Aliyah Boston was unanimously named Rookie of the Year, joining Aja Wilson (2018), Elena Delle Don (2013), Tina Charles (2010) and others. He was unanimously chosen as Rookie of the Year. Mr. Clark fell one vote short of winning that honor.
Angel Reese is the league's per-game rebound leader and holds the record for most consecutive double-doubles in WNBA history. She was on the verge of setting the record for most rebounds in a single season until she broke her wrist.
The WNBA also announced its All-Rookie Team on Thursday: Clark, Reese, Rikea Jackson (Los Angeles Sparks), Leonie Fibich (New York Liberty) and Camila Cardoso (Chicago Sky).
