Candace Parker, Tamika Catchings, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Elena Delle Donne, Maya Moore.
These are just a few of the WNBA players who had impressive and eye-opening rookie seasons.
Add Kaitlyn Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, to that list.
He is the first since Parker only Winning Player both Has any rookie ever won Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season had as much of an impact on the league and everyone and everything around it as Clark did?
Let’s call it the Caitlin Clark effect.
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Record-breaking performances. Sold-out matches across the country. Fans packing their bags and traveling wherever she goes. More eyes on the W than ever before. Clark is the talk of the W.
But there’s a flip side to that story. There’s a constant stream of heated discussions and debates on sports talk shows and social media about Clark and her impact on the league. Is she getting too much coverage? Is she being painted as the savior of the WNBA when there are other players who have been around the league for so long? It depends on who you ask and when you ask.
There has never been more pressure on a player entering the league. Expectations were high for Clark during his time at the University of Iowa, where he set an NCAA Division I scoring record with 3,951 total points. A lightning-quick point guard with nimble hands, Clark also led the Big Ten in career assists (1,144) and set a single-season record for most three-pointers made with 201. So naturally, all eyes were on Clark entering the league.
But the irony is that Clark hasn’t spoken much about all the fuss and fanfare surrounding her first season at the W. Instead, she seems content to just play her game, breaking record after record and helping her Indiana Fever team do the same. All the while, she’s adding a dose of excitement to women’s basketball that hasn’t been seen in a while.
The list of WNBA records Clark has broken is long and exhaustive – almost too many to list – including setting a WNBA single-game assist record (19) against the Dallas Wings, becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double against the New York Liberty, and breaking the record for most assists in a season by a rookie.
Let’s not forget Clark’s tying the record for most three-pointers made in a single game by a rookie; she made seven three-pointers in an early season game against the Washington Mystics. Other notable achievements include 21 games with at least 15 points and five assists, the most in a single WNBA season, and becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to record 400 points, 100 rebounds and 150 assists in a single season.
Clark was also selected to play in the WNBA All-Star Game in July, where she recorded 10 assists, the most by a rookie in the history of the prestigious sport.
That incredible rookie season also includes some not-so-great statistics. She committed the most turnovers in a debut in WNBA history, with 10 in the season opener against the Connecticut Sun. She also committed the most turnovers in a single season by any player in WNBA history. There’s certainly room for improvement there, but overall, the Caitlin Clark effect is undeniable.
And it extended beyond just her individual sports.
The Fever currently sits in sixth place after qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Additionally, the WNBA announced that Indianapolis will host the 2025 All-Star Game. The 21st WNBA All-Star Game, scheduled for Saturday, July 19, 2025, will mark the first time Indy will host the league’s mid-season showcase.
The Fever were already on an upward trajectory thanks to the additions of last year’s No. 1 draft pick Aaliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexi Hull and NaLyssa Smith, but Clark’s addition took them to even greater heights. The starting five performed well after the Olympic break, winning seven of eight games and clinching a playoff berth. Overall, they have transformed into a team with more and more possibilities.
Hull’s shooting is on a roll, as she leads the league in 3-point shooting percentage (49.2%). Mitchell, who has been on a roll this summer, is fifth in 3-pointers made (96) and ninth in points per game this season. Clark leads the league in assists, averaging 8.5 per game, and is first in 3-pointers made (111). Boston is fifth in field goal percentage (52.8%) and eighth in blocks per game (1.3).
In August, the Fever led the entire league in scoring (89.7 points) and recorded a season-high 100 points in a win over the Chicago Sky on August 30. Indiana also made 72 three-point field goals, the most of any team that month.
On August 16, the Fever defeated the Phoenix Mercury, 98-89, giving Indiana consecutive wins in regular season series against Phoenix for the first time since the 2015 regular season. Less than two weeks later, Indiana defeated the Sun, 84-80, for the first time since 2021.
The team’s success was also extended to coach Christy Sides, who was officially named a Coach of the Year candidate and was named WNBA Coach of the Month for August after leading the Fever to a 5-1 record, becoming the first head coach in franchise history to receive the honor.
Clark has also been receiving accolades throughout the league. In August, she was named both the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month and WNBA Rookie of the Month. This was her third Rookie of the Month award after May and July, and her first as WNBA Player of the Month. She was recently named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time this early in her career, and led all rookies in points, assists, steals, free throws and minutes played. And on September 13, she broke the WNBA career assist record held by the legendary Ticha Penicheiro.
The “female Stephen Curry” as many have dubbed her has been under intense scrutiny since before she even entered the league and has been under the spotlight all season long. Whether you agree or not, whether you’re a fan or not, Clark has handled the pressure, lived up to expectations (and in many ways exceeded them) and made a name for herself in the sports world in just her first year as a pro.
Caitlin Clark’s experience is just beginning, but it’s already paying off
Please fasten your seat belt.
Photo from Getty Images.
