After a historic rookie campaign on the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark was named WNBA Rookie of the Year on Thursday — earning 66 of 67 votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Angel Reese earned the lone other vote.
Caitlin Clark named WNBA Rookie of the Year in a near-unanimous vote
After a historic season, the Indiana Fever point guard received 66 of 67 votes, with Sky forward Angel Reese receiving one vote as well.
Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images
Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.
This season, Clark averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game, leading the Fever to the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. She set a myriad of records in her rookie season, including the most assists ever in a game (19) and in a season (321). She also scored more points and more three-pointers than any rookie in history, and recorded the first-ever triple-double by a first-year player. She was named Rookie of the Month four times, and Eastern Conference Player of the Week three times.
“I am incredibly honored to be named Rookie of the Year, but more than that, I am grateful to everyone that supported me throughout this past season – my family and friends, my teammates, the Fever organization and everyone that cheered us on all season,” Clark said in a press release shared by the Indiana Fever. “I am so proud of what we accomplished and so excited for what the future holds.”
This year, it appeared likely Clark would runaway with the award after a superb second half of the season — though Sky forward Angel Reese had a stellar freshman campaign as well. The main question became whether Clark’s vote would be unanimous. Last year, Fever center Aliyah Boston was unanimously named Rookie of the Year, joining A’ja Wilson (2018), Elena Delle Donne (2013), and Tina Charles (2010) as unanimous winners. Clark fell one vote short of capturing that honor.
Angel Reese was the league’s per-game rebounding leader, and set a record for most consecutive double-doubles in WNBA history. She was on her way to setting the record for most rebounds in a single season before breaking her wrist.
The WNBA also announced the All-Rookie team on Thursday: Clark, Reese, Rickea Jackson (Los Angeles Sparks), Leonie Fiebich (New York Liberty), and Kamilla Cardoso (Chicago Sky).
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