The entire WNBA – not Caitlin Clark – was the breakout star of the season, CBS “60 Minutes” journalist Jon Wertheim said during Sunday night’s episode.
Wertheim broke down the rise of the WNBA and spoke to the Rookie of the Year, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for the piece in which he called Clark “unquestionably the league’s main attraction, but not the only one.”
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts during the first half against the Connecticut Sun during game two of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena on Sept 25, 2024, in Uncasville, Conn. (Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images)
“The real breakthrough star of this WNBA season is the W itself,” Wertheim said. “Building off a college season in which was unimaginable just a few years ago, the women’s championship game outdrew the men. W games can draw more eyeballs than NBA games do.
“League wide, attendance is up 48%.”
But it was Clark who set the bar this season and arguably put together the best rookie season the WNBA has ever seen. Clark didn’t win the MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same seasons like Candace Parker did with the Los Angeles Sparks, but she rewrote the record books several times.
Clark became the first rookie in WNBA history to have at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in a playoff game when she did it in Game 2 of the playoff matchup against the Connecticut Sun. To be fair, Wertheim interviewed Clark before the playoffs began.
Regardless, she was the first rookie to record a triple-double when she played against the New York Liberty in July. She was also the first player in WNBA history to accomplish the feat against a team that was in first place in the standings.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark rushes up the court during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Sept. 15, 2024. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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She set a single-game record for assists when she put up 19 against the Dallas Wings. She set the single-season record for assists with 337 in total when the season ended.
Clark set the rookie record for most 3-pointers made in a single season with 122 – the second most in a single season. She was also the first player in WNBA history to have multiple career games with at least 25 points, 10 assists and five 3-pointers made.
Those records are only the tip of the iceberg, not to mention she was the unanimous AP WNBA Rookie of the Year.
In terms of ratings, Clark and the Fever were must-watch TV.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark reacts after a three-point basket against the Minnesota Lynx in the first half in Indianapolis on Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
FOX Sports’ Michael Mulvihill underscored that point with statistics this month. He wrote on X that Caitlin Clark games drew in 1.178 million while all other games drew in 394,000, a 199% difference.
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The breakout star is clear, and she averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game and finished fourth in MVP voting.
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