Caitlin Clark unanimously won the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year award on Sunday.
Record-Breaking Season:
Clark had an amazing season, breaking the league’s single-season assist record with 337 assists and setting a rookie scoring record with 769 points. She led the Fever to their first playoffs in eight years.
MVP Voting Results:
Despite being a rookie, Clark also received significant recognition in MVP voting. She got the fourth-most votes (130 points), finishing behind A’ja Wilson (670 points), Napheesa Collier (467 points), and Breanna Stewart (295 points). Impressively, she became the youngest rookie to finish top-5 in MVP voting since Candace Parker in 2008.
Clark’s Focus on Team Success:
However, Clark didn’t dwell much on her individual accolades. Before facing the Sun in their first-round playoff game, she emphasized her focus on team success over personal achievements. "I mean, it’s cool, but at the same time, I don’t really care," Clark said via Matthew Byrne of ClutchPoints. "My life is very unaffected by that. I’m just going to try to go out there and help my team."
Season Turnaround:
The Fever had a rough start this season with a 1-8 record but turned things around thanks to Clark and Kelsey Mitchell’s efforts before and after the Olympic break.
Fans think she’s really humble for downplaying her achievements.
Unfortunately, their momentum wasn’t enough as they lost 93-69 to the Sun in Game 1 of the playoffs on Sunday. The Fever will now need to win Wednesday’s game to force a Game 3 back home in Indiana.