On Friday night, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever made a triumphant return to the court after the WNBA’s Olympic hiatus, facing off against the Phoenix Mercury. The Fever had already won the first two matchups in the season series, and with a commanding 98-89 victory, they secured a 3-0 sweep.
Indiana wasted no time setting the tone, quickly building a double-digit lead in the first quarter. Clark was instrumental in this fast start, sinking a difficult three-pointer and converting two and-one plays to energize her team.
Not even through the first quarter, the former Iowa Hawkeyes star etched her name into the WNBA record books once again. With her second field goal of the game at the 6:53 mark in the first quarter, Clark reached her 450th point of the season. This milestone made her the first rookie in WNBA history to record 450 or more points along with 200 or more assists in a single season. Furthermore, according to StatMamba, she became only the sixth player ever to achieve these numbers in a single season.
Caitlin Clark is the first rookie in WNBA history to record 450+ PTS & 200+ AST.
Also just the 6th player to ever reach these numbers in a single season. pic.twitter.com/Ei49nQ8s6h
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) August 16, 2024
This achievement adds to what has already been an extraordinary rookie campaign for Clark. She garnered the most WNBA All-Star votes and set a record for the most assists by a rookie in an All-Star game, with ten.
Clark’s impact extends beyond just scoring and assists. She became the only WNBA rookie ever to record a triple-double, further demonstrating her all-around game. Right before the league took its month-long break, Clark also set a WNBA record for the most assists in a single game, dishing out an incredible 19.
Under Clark’s leadership, the Fever have posted a 12-15 record through their first 27 games, positioning themselves on the brink of their first WNBA playoff appearance since 2016. With Clark continuing to break records and lead her team, the Fever’s playoff prospects look promising as they aim to make a deep run in the postseason.
