The complete WNBA – not Caitlin Clark – was the breakout star of the season, CBS “60 Minutes” journalist Jon Wertheim stated throughout Sunday evening’s episode.
Wertheim broke down the rise of the WNBA and spoke to the Rookie of the Yr, her teammate Aliyah Boston, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for the piece by which he referred to as Clark “unquestionably the league’s essential attraction, however not the one one.”
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts through the first half towards the Connecticut Solar throughout recreation two of the primary spherical of the WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Solar Enviornment on Sept 25, 2024, in Uncasville, Conn. (Paul Rutherford-Imagn Pictures)
“The actual breakthrough star of this WNBA season is the W itself,” Wertheim stated. “Constructing off a university season by which was unimaginable just some years in the past, the ladies’s championship recreation outdrew the lads. W video games can draw extra eyeballs than NBA video games do.
“League huge, attendance is up 48%.”
However it was Clark who set the bar this season and arguably put collectively one of the best rookie season the WNBA has ever seen. Clark didn’t win the MVP and Rookie of the Yr in the identical seasons like Candace Parker did with the Los Angeles Sparks, however she rewrote the document books a number of occasions.
Clark turned the primary rookie in WNBA historical past to have at the very least 25 factors, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a playoff recreation when she did it in Sport 2 of the playoff matchup towards the Connecticut Solar. To be honest, Wertheim interviewed Clark earlier than the playoffs started.
Regardless, she was the primary rookie to document a triple-double when she performed towards the New York Liberty in July. She was additionally the primary participant in WNBA historical past to perform the feat towards a staff that was in first place within the standings.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark rushes up the court docket through the recreation at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Sept. 15, 2024. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK through Imagn Pictures)
CAITLIN CLARK ADDRESSES ALLEGED RACISM BY FANS FOLLOWING WNBA STATEMENT: ‘THOSE AREN’T FANS. THOSE ARE TROLLS’
She set a single-game document for assists when she put up 19 towards the Dallas Wings. She set the single-season document for assists with 337 in whole when the season ended.
Clark set the rookie document for many 3-pointers made in a single season with 122 – the second most in a single season. She was additionally the primary participant in WNBA historical past to have a number of profession video games with at the very least 25 factors, 10 assists and 5 3-pointers made.
These data are solely the tip of the iceberg, to not point out she was the unanimous AP WNBA Rookie of the Yr.
By way of scores, Clark and the Fever have been must-watch TV.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark reacts after a three-point basket towards the Minnesota Lynx within the first half in Indianapolis on Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photograph/Michael Conroy)
FOX Sports activities’ Michael Mulvihill underscored that time with statistics this month. He wrote on X that Caitlin Clark video games drew in 1.178 million whereas all different video games drew in 394,000, a 199% distinction.
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The breakout star is obvious, and he or she averaged 19.2 factors, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per recreation and completed fourth in MVP voting.
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