Candace Parker. Tamika Catchings. A’ja Wilson. Breanna Stewart. Elena Delle Donne. Maya Moore.
These are simply a few of the WNBA gamers who’ve had spectacular, eye-opening rookie seasons.
Add to that listing Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 choose within the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Not since Parker—who went on to be the primary and solely participant to win each Rookie of the Yr and MVP in the identical season—has a rookie impacted the League and everybody and every part round it as a lot as Clark.
Name it the Caitlin Clark Impact.
SLAM 252 that includes Caitlin Clark is offered now.
Document-breaking performances. Sport sell-outs throughout the nation. Followers packing up and touring wherever she goes. Extra eyeballs than ever on the W. Clark has been the discuss of the W.
However there’s a flip aspect to it, too. Heated arguments and debates on sports activities discuss reveals and throughout social media are nonstop, all about Clark and her impact on the League. Is she getting an excessive amount of press? Is she being painted because the WNBA savior when there are different gamers who’ve been right here holding up the League for therefore lengthy? Is determined by who you ask—and the time of day you ask.
One may argue that by no means has a lot stress been placed on a participant coming into the League. Expectations had been excessive from the leap, even whereas Clark was nonetheless in school at Iowa. There, she set the NCAA Division I scoring file with 3,951 whole factors. A lightning fast level guard with quick palms, she additionally turned the Massive Ten’s all-time help chief (1,144) and hit probably the most three- pointers in a single season with 201. So, coming into the League, all eyes had been expectedly on her.
However, satirically, Clark has not stated a lot in regards to the hype and fanfare surrounding her first season within the W. She seems to have chosen, as an alternative, to simply play her sport and seemingly be content material with breaking file after file after file and serving to her Indiana Fever crew do the identical. All of the whereas, she is helping in a model of pleasure for ladies’s basketball, the likes of which haven’t been seen shortly.
The listing of WNBA data damaged by Clark is lengthy and exhaustive. There are virtually too many to call. They embrace setting the WNBA single-game help file (19) in opposition to the Dallas Wings, recording the primary triple-double for a rookie in WNBA historical past in opposition to the New York Liberty, and breaking the file for many assists in a season by a rookie.
You’ll be able to’t pass over tying the rookie single-game three-pointers file—Clark made seven of these early within the season within the Fever’s sport in opposition to the Washington Mystics. Different data embrace 21 video games with no less than 15 factors and 5 assists, probably the most ever in a single WNBA season, and changing into the primary rookie in WNBA historical past to file 400 factors, 100 rebounds and 150 assists in a season.
Clark was additionally named to the WNBA All-Star Sport in July and completed with 10 assists, probably the most by a rookie within the prestigious sport’s historical past.
This unbelievable rookie season has additionally included a not-so-great statistic: She recorded probably the most turnovers in a debut sport in WNBA historical past, with 10 within the Fever’s opener in opposition to the Connecticut Solar. She additionally has probably the most turnovers in a single season by any participant in WNBA historical past. There’s undoubtedly work to be finished in that division, however general, the Caitlin Clark Impact can’t be denied.
And it has prolonged past simply her particular person sport.
The Fever clinched its first playoff spot since 2016 and at the moment sit at No. 6 as we head to print. As well as, the WNBA introduced that the 2025 All-Star Sport will happen in Indianapolis. The twenty first WNBA All-Star Sport, set for Saturday, July 19, 2025, marks the primary time that Indy will host the League’s midseason showcase.
The Fever—already on an upward trajectory after final yr’s acquisition of No. 1 choose Aliyah Boston, together with Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and NaLyssa Smith—have soared to new heights with the addition of Clark. This beginning 5 earned a playoff spot after occurring a sizzling streak following the Olympic break, rattling off seven wins in eight video games. Collectively, they’ve reworked right into a crew whose ceiling retains rising.
Sizzling taking pictures from Hull has landed her in first place within the League in three-point share (49.2 p.c). Mitchell, who has been on her personal private tear this summer season, is fifth in three-pointers made this season (96) and ninth in factors per sport. Clark is the assists chief, averaging 8.5 per sport and is first within the League in three-pointers made at 111. Boston is fifth in field-goal share (52.8 p.c) and eighth in blocks per sport (1.3).
In August, the Fever led the complete League in scoring (89.7 ppg) and hit a season-best 100 factors in a win in opposition to the Chicago Sky on August 30. Indiana additionally knocked down probably the most three-point area objectives within the month with 72.
On August 16, the Fever beat the Phoenix Mercury 98-89, marking the primary time for the reason that 2015 common season that Indiana has swept its regular-season sequence with Phoenix. Lower than two weeks later, Indiana toppled the Solar, 84-80, for the primary time since 2021.
The crew’s success has additionally prolonged to its coach, Christie Sides, who formally entered the Coach of the Yr chat and was named WNBA Coach of the Month for August after guiding the Fever to a 5-1 file. Sides is the primary head coach in franchise historical past to earn the distinction.
Clark has racked up accolades League-wide as nicely. In August, she was named each WNBA Japanese Convention Participant of the Month and WNBA Rookie of the Month. It was the third time she earned Rookie of the Month honors, having additionally acquired the popularity in Might and July, whereas marking the primary time she was named Participant of the Month. She was just lately acknowledged because the WNBA Japanese Convention Participant of the Week for the second time in her younger profession, and he or she additionally leads her rookie class in scoring, assists, steals, free-throw taking pictures and minutes performed. And on September 13, she broke the WNBA’s all-time assists file, beforehand held by the legendary Ticha Penicheiro.
The participant many name the feminine Stephen Curry has been below the microscope since earlier than she entered the League, and the warmth has been turned up all season lengthy. Whether or not you agree or not, whether or not you’re a fan or not, Clark has handled the stress, lived as much as the expectations (even exceeded them in some ways) and has cemented her title within the sport after just one yr as a professional.
The Caitlin Clark expertise has solely simply begun but it surely’s already in full impact
Buckle up.
Photographs through Getty Pictures.
