Caitlin Clark of Fever Sets WNBA Rookie Record for Assists

Caitlin Clark has reached another significant milestone in her outstanding 2024 season, as she set a new WNBA single-season rookie record for assists during a recent game between the Indiana Fever and the Seattle Storm. The Fever won the matchup 92-75 on Sunday, marking a notable achievement for Clark.

Leading the league in assists with an impressive average of 8.3 per game, Clark delivered 9 assists in that game, bringing her total to 232. This accomplishment allowed her to surpass the previous rookie record of 224 assists set by Ticha Penicheiro in 1998.

Ticha Penicheiro was an exceptional player, having been the second overall pick in the 1998 draft for the Sacramento Monarchs, a team that is no longer active in the WNBA. Penicheiro’s career included leading the Monarchs to the WNBA championship in 2005, finishing with 2,600 assists, which ranks third in league history.

Though Clark was not born when Penicheiro entered the league and was only ten years old when she retired, she has expressed admiration for Penicheiro’s skills. During her college career at Iowa, Clark had opportunities to learn about Penicheiro’s game and is well aware of the mark she left on women’s basketball.

Reflecting on Penicheiro’s playing style, Clark remarked, “If you watch her highlights, she was definitely a better passer than me. She had way more flair to her game. She would spin around and make these crazy passes. I kind of just run in transition and chuck it up there and hope for the best.”

Clark’s exceptional passing ability is one of her standout qualities on the court. She amassed a staggering total of 3,951 points while playing for Iowa, setting the record for both men’s and women’s Division I basketball. In addition, she recorded 1,144 assists, ranking third in NCAA Division I women’s history. Notably, Clark surpassed Penicheiro’s rookie assist record in her 28th WNBA game, while Penicheiro achieved her record in 30 games.

Given that the WNBA regular season has expanded to 40 games, Clark still has ample opportunities to increase her assist total. The all-time WNBA single-season assist record stands at 316, achieved last season by Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun in 40 games.

At her current rate, Clark has the potential to break this record within just 11 remaining games. Thomas is currently second in the league in assists, having recorded 202 assists through her first 26 games.

Reflecting on her unexpected success, Clark mentioned, “If you’d told me I was going to lead the league in assists coming in here in my rookie season, I probably would have told you that you were lying. But I take a lot of pride in that. I want to set my teammates up first and foremost, because that’s going to help you have the most successful team.”

Clark also emphasized her focus on teamwork, stating, “I’m always looking for my teammates in transition; that’s where I tend to thrive the most.”

The Indiana Fever, currently positioned seventh in the WNBA standings, improved their record to 13-15, matching last year’s win total. Moments of success have been sparse for the Fever; they last had a winning record in 2015 when they finished at 20-14 and advanced to the WNBA Finals. They have not appeared in the playoffs since 2016, when their record was 17-17.

Teammate Lexie Hull contributed to the victory, achieving a career-high with 22 points and demonstrating remarkable accuracy from beyond the arc, going 6-of-7 from three-point range. Hull noted the value of having a player like Clark on the team, saying, “I think we just have a really balanced attack. It’s just really fun to watch when you have Caitlin running in transition — the ball can go anywhere, anyone can knock it down, our offense is just so fluid.”

As the season progresses, fans will be keenly watching Clark as she continues to make her mark in the WNBA. A combination of skill, determination, and collaboration with her teammates may pave the way for even greater achievements ahead.

Source: ParticalNews