There is almost little, if any, doubt at this stage in the season that Caitlin Clark will win WNBA Rookie of the Year. The Indiana Fever guard is a clear favorite to win the prized individual award because of her outstanding first year. ESPN is undoubtedly in agreement with this idea. Clark was named the network’s unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year in the WNBA end-of-season honors, which were held recently.
“Clark has had not just one of the best rookie years in WNBA history, but an outstanding season for a player of any level of WNBA experience,” said Michael Voepel. “She is averaging 19.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and an 8.3 assist average that leads the league. The Fever are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2016 thanks to her contributions, which have established a new record for assists in a single season (329). “Everything the Fever could have hoped for in picking Clark No. 1 — including a gargantuan surge in attendance and merchandise sales — has happened.”
This latest development has prompted a strong reaction from the Fever, who issued a two-word statement after ESPN’s latest announcement.
Interestingly enough, ESPN is also adamant about Clark’s MVP credentials. She won’t be winning the title — Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson is the unanimous choice for this one — but the network believes that Caitlin “almost certainly also will be named on some MVP ballots.” This is given the fact that voters are asked to list down five MVP candidates in their respective ballots.
Lastly, ESPN has also projected that Clark, Wilson, Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), and Kayla McBride (Lynx) will all be included on the All-NBA First Team. It goes without saying that the 22-year-old has had a very impressive rookie season.
