Caitlin Clark’s incredible rookie season with the Indiana Fever came to a close following their Game 2 loss against the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA playoffs first round.
It was truly a historic year for the Iowa native, setting many different records and leading her team to the postseason for the first time since the great Tamika Catchings was around in 2016.
To cap off her season, the WNBA announced that Clark won the 2024 Rookie of the Year a week after the news was officially revealed.
However, prior to the WNBA’s post, the Los Angeles Sparks sent a reminder to the league about their own legend, Candace Parker, subtly targeting Clark in the process.
“On this day in 2008, Candace Parker became the first player in WNBA history to be named Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same year,” the Sparks wrote on X. “She remains the only player to do so.”
In her rookie season, Parker became the first player (and until now remains the only one) to win both the Rookie of the Year award and the MVP. With Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson winning this year’s MVP award and not Clark, Parker remains in a league of her own.
Parker, a former Tennessee Volunteers standout, will go down as one of the best players in WNBA history. During her 16-year career, Parker won three WNBA championships, one each with the Sparks, Chicago Sky and Aces. She also won two total MVP awards, including her rookie season.
WNBA legend Candace Parker
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Clark finished the season averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and a league-leading 8.4 assists per game. She received 66 of the 67 Rookie of the Year votes, with Sky forward Angel Reese getting the final vote. Both Clark and Parker were not the unanimous Rookie of the Year in their respective first seasons.
WNBA legend Candace Parker
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