Adding to her impressive list of rookie season accolades, Caitlin Clark has officially been named to the All-WNBA First Team . The honor comes after the Indiana Fever star was crowned WNBA Rookie of the Year, cementing her status as one of the league's top players in her debut season.
Clark received the accomplishment after accumulating 52 First-Team votes from a body of 67 WNBA media members. The votes were positionless, and then the league granted $10,300 to all first-place team members, while second-team players received $5,150.
The full WNBA first team consists of Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, Las Vegas Aces league MVP A'ja Wilson , two-time WNBA champion and former two-time league MVP Breanna Stewart , all-time WNBA triple-double leader Alyssa Thomas , and Clark. The All-WNBA Second team was led by Sabrina Ionescu, Kahleah Cooper, Nneka Ogwumike, Arike Ogunbowale, and Jonquel Jones.
With her selection to the first team, Clark became the first rookie guard to achieve the honor since Diana Taurasi in 2004 . The Fever rookie was also the only rookie to be listed on either the First or Second Team, as fellow standout Angel Reese’ s record-breaking rebounding season was cut short due to season-ending wrist surgery.
Despite the massive achievement, Clark still has reason to be motivated. Wilson and Collier were unanimous selections to the First Team, a distinction that places them in rare company. Clark’s 52 first-team votes surpassed Ionescu's 15 votes.
The wide-margin total sparked outrage among many WNBA fans online who thought that the New York Liberty guard did enough this season to earn first-team recognition. One fan expressed frustration by writing, "How does somebody like Sabrina Ionescu win multiple player of the week and player of the month [awards] and doesn’t get 1st team all W? But you have Alyssa Thomas up there who has not gotten those achievements?"
Another fan chimed in, stating, "I would’ve swapped Sabrina Ionescu for Alyssa Thomas, but it is what it is." Overall, fan sentiment seemed to favor a first team of Wilson, Collier, Clark, Ionescu, and Stewart. Clark finished fourth in the MVP voting behind Thomas, Stewart, Collier, and Wilson.
She became the youngest player to place in the top five since Candace Parker in 2008. The Fever guard became the first rookie to finish in the top five in MVP voting since Elena Delle Donne placed third in 2013 when Candace Parker won the award.
Clark’s achievements this season were commemorated on a limited-edition Nike t-shirt, highlighting her rookie records. It included points, three-pointers, assists records, and status as the first rookie to record multiple triple-doubles in a single season.
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The Fever were swept in the first round of the WNBA Playoffs by the Connecticut Sun , limiting Clark to just two games to showcase her talent at the highest level. Despite the early exit, Clark’s regular-season performance saw her lead the team in assists, averaging 8.5 per game.
Clark scored 18 points per game, making her the second-leading scorer on the roster.
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