Caitlyn Clark makes WNBA history in front of a record crowd

Caitlyn Clark has essentially secured her WNBA Rookie of the Year title, with yesterday’s game against the Atlanta Dream further solidifying her position. The 2024 WNBA No. 1 overall pick achieved her 21st game of the season with at least 15 points and five assists, the highest in WNBA history, according to CNN.

The game on Monday ended 84-79, with Clark scoring 19 points, seven assists, seven rebounds, two steals, and one block. She also made four three-pointers, bringing her total for the season to 85, tying the rookie record set by Rhyne Howard in 2022.

The energy in the arena was palpable when Clark made history. The game set a record attendance for a WNBA game in Georgia, with 17,608 fans in attendance. This marked the fifth time this season that the Indiana Fever had broken a team’s attendance record when playing away.

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Following Monday’s win, Indiana now holds a 14-16 record, placing them third in the East and seventh overall in the league standings– their highest regular season win total since 2016.

Post-game, Clark expressed to reporters her joy of playing basketball and the fun she has on the court. She commented, “I don’t show up and expect these crowds. Sure, maybe you’ve gotten a little bit used to it, but for me, that’s not anything that ever gets old.” She continued by stating how special it is for her to play in front of such enthusiastic crowds, reminiscing about her own experiences attending games as a young girl.

Moreover, Clark emphasized the significant impact the WNBA has had on women’s sports and acknowledged the growing attention the league has garnered. She shared her joy in seeing the impact of her and her teammates’ contributions to women’s basketball nationwide.

Rookie of the Year

On Tuesday, ESPN named Clark as the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, with Angel Reese identified as her top competitor. ESPN reporters highlighted Clark’s exceptional playmaking skills as her strongest attribute.

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Clark leads the WNBA with 8.2 assists per game, has broken the rookie assists record, and is on course to surpass the all-time single-season assists record. Currently, she has 247 assists, needing 317 to exceed Alyssa Thomas’s record, according to Athlon Sports.