Having etched her identify around the file conserve right through the 2024 WNBA season, Caitlin Clark has been named the league’s Rookie of the Generation, receiving 66 of 67 overall votes, the WNBA introduced Thursday. Chicago Sky ahead Angel Reese gained one vote from the nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
Clark and Reese have been additionally named to the 2024 All-Rookie Staff on Thursday, along side Los Angeles Sparks ahead Rickea Jackson, Chicago Sky heart Kamilla Cardoso and Unutilized York Sovereignty ahead Leonie Fiebich.
Your 2024 WNBA All-Rookie Staff
Caitlin Clark (IND)
Rickea Jackson (LAS)
Angel Reese (CHI)
Kamilla Cardoso (CHI)
Leonie Fiebich (NYL)#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/TgU5hoEztP— WNBA (@WNBA) October 3, 2024
That Clark received the Rookie of the Generation award got here as modest awe taking into account how prolific her debut season used to be.
Clark needy each the WNBA’s single-season and single-game lend a hand data. She scored probably the most issues via a rookie ever, and probably the most issues via some extent safeguard ever. She changed into the primary rookie to file two triple-doubles and the primary Fever participant ever to file a triple-double.
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The ones are only a few of her many accomplishments amongst averaging 19.2 issues and eight.4 assists consistent with contest — numbers that have been even higher in the second one part of the season — and led the Fever to their first postseason look since 2016. Indiana additionally stepped forward its win overall via seven in 2024.
“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 stated in a remark Thursday. “I am so proud of what we accomplished and so excited for what the future holds.”
Clark, the Deny. 1 pick out within the 2024 WNBA Draft, entered the league because the most-anticipated rookie in league historical past. She flourished at Iowa for 4 seasons, chief the Hawkeyes to 2 Ultimate Fours and atmosphere the ladies’s NCAA Category I and primary school girls’s basketball scoring data.
The spectacle round Clark adopted her to the pro ranks. Occasion Clark dazzled lovers and tormented combatants, she additionally performed an instrumental position in a season of explosive enlargement for the WNBA. Six other league tv companions eager viewership data this 12 months for its perfect considered WNBA contest, and all six integrated the Fever.
Attendance in Indianapolis crash a file top, with a median of 17,036 lovers packing Gainbridge Fieldhouse for house video games. Indiana led the league in attendance for the primary generation in WNBA historical past.
Thursday’s information, then again, isn’t a mirrored image of the off-court Clark Impact, however her successes between the lawn’s 4 strains.
“She’s been special,” Indiana teacher Christie Aspects stated forward of the playoffs. “She came into the best league in the world, the best women’s basketball league in the world. She found her footing. She’s continued to get better. She’s put herself in position to be called one of the best players in the league. That’s incredible for a rookie.”
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For the primary part of the season, the Rookie of the Generation race appeared as though it could be a few of the tightest ever. In the course of the first two months of the season, Reese helped the Sky stay in playoff rivalry. She had 14 double-doubles in 20 video games and needy Candace Parker’s consecutive double-double streak.
Reese, like Clark, earned All-Celebrity honors and used to be awarded WNBA Rookie of the Day in June. She eager the league’s single-season overall rebound file (446) and recorded the perfect per-game rebound moderate in WNBA historical past (13.1).
The Deny. 7 draft pick out, Reese would have turn out to be most effective the 1/3 participant taken nearest Deny. 6 within the WNBA Draft to win Rookie of the Generation. However her moment part proved other than her first. Chicago slumped and Reese ultimately used to be dominated out for the left-overs of the season on Sept. 8 with a wrist trauma. The Sky ignored the postseason.
All the way through the season Clark and Reese downplayed the utility of the race.
“I’m sure (Angel) would give you the same exact answer—I’m sure she has given you the same exact answer,” Clark stated in overdue August. “So for us, everybody can write that, but our focus is on winning basketball games. It’s as simple as that.”
Mentioned Reese: “We don’t either care about Rookie of the Year. I think you guys have made it a big thing. We haven’t. We both want to win. We’ve been wanting to win, and that’s what we’ve done in our collegiate career.”
Clark changed into the 1/3 consecutive Deny. 1 pick out to win height rookie honors.
“I know there’s a lot of room for me to continue to improve,” Clark stated nearest the Fever have been knocked out of the playoffs via the Connecticut Solar. “I feel like I had a solid year, but for me, the fun part is I feel like I’m just scratching the surface.”
Comparing the All-Rookie Staff
In spite of Los Angeles failing to manufacture the postseason, Jackson used to be fertile all the way through the 12 months. She used to be environment friendly, averaging 13.4 issues, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists consistent with contest occasion capturing 45.6 % from the garden and just about 35 % from 3-point field. She additionally changed into the primary WNBA rookie, and 6th WNBA participant ever, with a contest of a minimum of 25 issues, 3 three-pointers and 3 blocks.
Cardoso, the Deny. 3 pick out in April’s draft, ignored the beginning of the season because of trauma. However upon her go back in early June, she additionally made an fast have an effect on. Cardoso led all freshmen in garden objective share (52.1 %) and averaged 9.8 issues, 7.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks consistent with contest. On June 23 towards Indiana, Cardoso and Reese changed into the primary rookie duo in league historical past since 1998 to file double-doubles over more than one video games in the similar season. They then additionally changed into the primary rookie teammates since 2010 to file greater than 10 rebounds in the similar contest.
Fiebich elected to attach the Sovereignty this season, having maximum lately been the MVP of the pro league in Spain. The 24-year-old German averaged 6.7 issues, 3 rebounds and 1.8 assists consistent with contest occasion capturing 47.8 % from the garden and 43.3 % from deep. All the way through the familiar season, she recorded the second-highest plus-minus via a rookie in WNBA historical past. She has endured to manufacture a key have an effect on this playoffs, the place, now within the establishing lineup full-time, she has led the Sovereignty in plus-minus in 3 in their first 4 postseason video games.
Collier wins DPOY award
From the start of the familiar season till its conclusion, the Minnesota Lynx had one of the most WNBA’s height defenses. And that protection now boasts the league’s height defender nearest Napheesa Collier received the 2024 WNBA Defensive Participant of the Generation Award, the league introduced Sunday.
Collier gained 36 of the 67 votes from a countrywide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Las Vegas Aces ahead A’ja Wilson completed in moment (26 votes).
The Lynx completed the 12 months first in opponent garden objective share (41), first in opponent 3-point share (30.1), first in opponent lend a hand price (18.6), and a similar moment in defensive score (94.8). Collier’s versatility used to be key to all their good fortune as an anchor of Minnesota’s protection.
Frequently Collier used to be tasked with guarding an opponent’s height frontcourt avid gamers. At alternative moments, she circled over to handover the most important support. She used to be particularly impactful towards height festival because the Lynx went 7-4 towards the alternative top-four playoff seeds, together with Minnesota’s Commissioner’s Cup victory.
Collier completed moment within the WNBA in steals consistent with contest (1.9) and 8th in blocks (1.4 consistent with contest). In step with Synergy Sports activities, combatants shot most effective 34.3 % towards her.
“I’m so proud of Phee’s defensive work in 2024. Her commitment to all aspects of our defense — deflections, denials, steals, blocks, rebounds — anchored one of the top defensive teams in the league and led to her best season yet as a pro,” Lynx teacher Cheryl Reeve told the AP.
Minnesota completed moment within the WNBA standings and swept the Phoenix Mercury within the first spherical of the playoffs. The Lynx, winners of 4 WNBA titles, will probably be having a look to win their 5th this postseason. In the event that they do, they might go into first park for titles received via an energetic WNBA franchise, breaking a attach with the Seattle Typhoon.
Tipoff for Sport 3 in their semifinal sequence towards the third-seeded Solar is ready for 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday. The sequence is fasten 1-1.
2024 WNBA All-Defensive Groups
The WNBA additionally introduced the primary and moment All-Defensive Groups on Sunday.
First Staff:
2nd Staff:
Required studying
(Photograph: Dylan Goodman / NBAE by means of Getty Photographs)
