While most of the discussion surrounding Caitlin Clark has been about the Rookie of the Year race, the first-year star is making a serious case for MVP consideration.
Clark made history twice in the Indiana Fever‘s 93-86 win over the Los Angeles Sparks. She posted her second triple-double of the 2024 campaign, ending the night with 24 points (8-of-17), 10 assists and 10 rebounds while becoming the first rookie to surpass 100 three-pointers in a season.
Clark recorded at least 20 points, five assists and five rebounds in a game for the 12th time. According to StatMamba, that’s tied for the most such games in league history with Breanna Stewart, who set the record in 2023 and won MVP honors that year.
Additionally, Clark’s triple-double was also historic. She’s now only the fifth to do so multiple times in a season, joining Alyssa Thomas (2024, 2023, 2022), Courtney Williams (2023), Sabrina Ionescu (2022) and Candace Parker (2022).
Meanwhile, Clark is only the seventh player to make 100 three-pointers in a season, rookie or not. She’s unlikely to challenge the record set by Ionescu (128, 2023) but could finish with 120 threes if she keeps pace with her average (3.0 per game), which would be the third-best all-time behind Diana Taurasi (121, 2006).
Lastly, perhaps the most significant selling point for Clark’s MVP worthiness is her impact on the Fever. A season ago, Indiana finished with the third-worst record (13-27) in the WNBA, but heading into the final six games of 2024, they’re 18-16 and have clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2016.
Clark hasn’t convinced everyone she’s an MVP candidate yet, but the fact may be undeniable. Following her outing on Wednesday, she not only boasts an ever-growing resume while leading a winning team but is averaging 18.7 points, 8.4 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game, a stat line no player in WNBA history has duplicated.
