In a season marked by extraordinary performances, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark was unanimously named the 2024 Associated Press WNBA Rookie of the Year.
This accolade adds to Clark’s growing list of achievements, which includes being selected for both the AP All-WNBA First Team and the AP All-Rookie Team. Clark is the second Fever player to earn this honor, following forward Aliyah Boston, who won in 2023.
Before a WNBA game, Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark addressed the media ahead of their match against the Seattle Storm on May 30, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Photo/David Dixon)
Starting all 40 regular-season games, Clark quickly emerged as a dominant playmaker, leading all rookies in scoring (19.2 points per game), assists (8.4 assists per game), and three-pointers made (122). She not only outperformed her rookie class but also made an impact across the league.
One of her standout accomplishments was her league-leading 337 assists, surpassing the previous WNBA record of 316. She also set a franchise record with 769 points, the most ever scored by a point guard in a single WNBA season.
When asked earlier in the season about awards like Rookie of the Year, Clark responded, “We don’t wake up thinking about individual awards. Our main focus is fighting for a playoff spot.”
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives to the basket for a layup against the Phoenix Mercury on July 12, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. (Photo/Darnell Scott)
Since that interview, Clark helped lead the Fever to secure the No. 6 seed in the 2024 playoffs, marking the team’s first postseason appearance since 2016.
Clark also made history as the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double, achieving the feat in a July 17 game against the Dallas Wings with 19 assists, the highest in a single WNBA game.
Clark’s influence extended to her WNBA All-Star debut, becoming only the third rookie in Fever history to start in the All-Star Game. During the game, she tied for the second-most assists in All-Star history with 10 and received a record-breaking 700,735 fan votes.
In August, Clark was named Rookie of the Month and became the first player in league history to win Eastern Conference Player of the Month as a rookie. Her consistency was further highlighted by her 35 double-digit scoring games and 14 double-doubles, both records for a rookie guard in WNBA history.
