Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark was named WNBA Rookie of the Year on Thursday.
Clark got 66 of 67 first-place votes from a panel of writers and broadcasters. Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese got the only other first-place vote.
“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 statement. “I am so proud of what we accomplished and so excited for what the future holds.”
Clark was the first overall pick in April’s WNBA draft. After she set the NCAA Division I women’s basketball scoring record with the Iowa Hawkeyes, she averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game in her first professional season.
She helped lead the Fever to their first postseason berth since 2016 and averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds and 8.5 assists over two games.
Clark this year was also named first-team All-WNBA and won The Associated Press’ Rookie of the Year award in a unanimous vote.
Clark recorded 337 assists in the regular season, which is not only a rookie record but also the league record for assists in a season. She became the first rookie to record a triple-double, and she also set the record for most 3-pointers by a rookie in a single season.
On July 17, Clark dished 19 assists in a loss to the Dallas Wings, a single-game WNBA record.
Her rookie season was as notable for her impact on the WNBA as on the court.
Indiana’s jersey sales increased by over 1,000% by midseason, and Clark’s was the league’s best-selling jersey. Attendance at games Clark played was also 88% higher compared with games without her, according to the AP.
Clark’s first playoff game drew 1.8 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA playoff game since 2000.
Clark is the second straight Fever player to win the Rookie of the Year award; Aliyah Boston won it last year.
