The 2024 WNBA season which saw the fierce competition between Indiana Fever Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky Angel Reese finally has a winner. Shams Charania reported that Clark has won the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award, as she joined Tamika Catchings and Aliyah Boston as the only players in Fever history to receive this honor.
This season was extraordinary for Caitlin Clark as her stellar performance solidified her place among the league’s brightest young stars. This was despite the sad fact that she initially suffered a slow start. Her impressive debut season concluded with her averaging 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds, as well as record-breaking most assists in a single game (19).
Her rookie season will go down in the history books:
-Single-season assist record -Single-season rookie scoring record -First rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double -First rookie to record 100 threes in a single season pic.twitter.com/isBPmldM8T
Furthermore, her transition from Iowa star to the WNBA came with immense pressure, as she entered the league with more hype than most players in recent history. Despite the lofty expectations, she struggled early on, with her team posting an abysmal 1-8 record by May.
During this same period, rival Angel Reese emerged as a strong contender for Rookie of the Year. She dominated the boards as she set a WNBA record of 15 consecutive double-doubles. Sadly, a wrist injury sidelined her for the final six games of the season, which allowed Clark to edge ahead in the Rookie of the Year race.
Caitlin Clark stands up to racist fans
The Caitlin Clark effect had its negative impact as the WNBA playoffs became overshadowed by players speaking out about the racism they have faced. After the Connecticut Sun eliminated the Indiana Fever, Sun forward Alyssa Thomasaddressed the media, where she described the ongoing racial hostility players have endured throughout the season.
Taking a stance too was Caitlin Clark who used the opportunity to speak up against those who misused her name for hateful purposes. It sent a strong signal, one which fans understood as her sending a strong message of her proven commitment to standing against any form of discrimination.
Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism, hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments, and threats. Those aren’t fans, those are trolls, and it’s a real disservice to the people in our league, the organization and the WNBA.
Caitlin Clark said in a press conference
“Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism, hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments, and threats. Those aren’t fans; those are trolls, and it’s a real disservice to the people in our league, the organization and the WNBA.”
The entry of rival rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has brought unprecedented attention to the WNBA. Sadly, this increased interest has also highlighted a rivalry between the two that is often framed in racially coded terms. Reese specifically called out ESPN and the broader media for their role in how she has been treated, as she shed light on the challenges Black players continue to face in the league.
Ubong Richard is an NBA writer at FirstSportz. He has been an NBA writer since November 2023. His love for basketball and especially LeBron James makes his work inspiring and fun for readers worldwide. Ubong believes in adding value to any system, as this is his greatest skillset. He is currently a fourth year medical student studying to become a dental surgeon at the University of Calabar, Nigeria. If he’s not following NBA games, you can catch him watching football especially Chelsea games.
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