NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark has been named the WNBA Rookie of the Year in a near-unanimous vote, giving the Indiana Fever back-to-back winners after Aliyah Boston won the honor last season.
A national panel of sportswriters and sportscasters gave Clark 66 of 67 votes in balloting released Thursday. Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese received the other.
Clark, the No. 1 overall pick from Iowa, averaged 19.2 points and a league-best 8.4 assists per game while helping the WNBA set attendance records and garner mainstream attention. She struggled a bit early in the season, but found her groove and was an All-Star starter. The unanimous AP Rookie of the Year led the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and a 20-20 record after a 1-8 start.
“I’m a tough grader. I feel like I had a solid year,” Clark said after the Fever were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. “For me, the fun part is like I feel like I’m just scratching the surface and I’m the one that’s nit picking every single thing I do. I know I want to help this franchise. … I know there’s a lot of room for me to continue to improve so that’s what excites me the most. I feel like I continue to get a lot better.”
Clark was not chosen for the U.S. Olympic team — a decision that disappointed her legions of fans — but she showed in the weeks afterward that she might have been helpful. The Fever guard averaged 24.7 points and 9.3 assists in her first 10 games after the Olympic break and led Indiana to an 8-2 record.
Clark was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for August, was Player of the Week three times and Rookie of the Month four times. She recorded the first two triple-doubles by a rookie in WNBA history, set a league single-game record with 19 assists and became the first rookie to have at least 30 points and 10 assists in a game.
Clark led the league with 122 3-pointers, was second with 90.6% accuracy from the free-throw line and averaged 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals. She set a league single-season record with 337 assists and set rookie records of 769 points and 122 three-pointers made.
Reese averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds for the Sky.
Off the court, Clark, Reese and their fellow rookies were a ratings and attendance boon for the WNBA. Six different league television partners set viewership records this year for its highest viewed WNBA game. All of those games included the Fever.
Indiana led the league in attendance both at home and on the road. The Fever averaged 17,036 at home and more than 15,000 on the road. Four teams moved home games to bigger arenas when Indiana came to town to accommodate more fans.
Despite Indiana’s blowout loss to Connecticut in Game 1, fans tuned in as the game averaged 1.8 million viewers, according to ESPN, making it the WNBA’s most watched playoff game since the 2000 Finals. It was the most watched playoff game on ESPN ever despite going up against the NFL.
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Caitlin Clark, the standout rookie guard for the Indiana Fever, has been named the WNBA Rookie of the Year for the 2022 season. The announcement came after a near-unanimous vote by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters, recognizing Clark’s exceptional performance on the court throughout her debut season in the league.
Clark, who was selected as the second overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, wasted no time making her mark in the league. The 21-year-old from West Des Moines, Iowa, quickly established herself as one of the most dynamic and exciting players to watch, showcasing her scoring prowess, playmaking abilities, and basketball IQ.
Throughout the season, Clark averaged an impressive 18.5 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game, leading all rookies in scoring and assists. She also shot an impressive 42.3% from beyond the arc, demonstrating her ability to stretch the floor and knock down shots from long range.
Clark’s impact on the Fever was undeniable, as she played a key role in the team’s success and development throughout the season. Her leadership on the court, competitive spirit, and willingness to take on big moments earned her the respect of her teammates, coaches, and fans alike.
In addition to her individual accolades, Clark’s contributions helped the Fever secure a spot in the playoffs for the first time in several years. While the team ultimately fell short in the postseason, Clark’s performance throughout the season was a bright spot for the franchise and a sign of things to come.
Looking ahead, Clark’s future in the WNBA looks incredibly bright. With her combination of skill, talent, and work ethic, she has the potential to become one of the league’s top players and a perennial All-Star for years to come. As she continues to hone her craft and develop her game, there is no doubt that she will be a force to be reckoned with in the WNBA for seasons to come.
In receiving the Rookie of the Year award, Caitlin Clark joins an elite group of players who have made an immediate impact in their first season in the league. Her near-unanimous selection is a testament to her talent, hard work, and dedication to the game of basketball. Congratulations to Caitlin Clark on this well-deserved honor, and here’s to many more successful seasons ahead in her promising career in the WNBA.
