Top 5 Caitlin Clark WNBA Records & Impact

The single rookie season of Caitlin Clark has overshadowed the successful performance years of even veteran players in the game. Her college performance was already a topic of conversation among the WNBA enthusiasts. However, as soon as she entered the league, she took the court by storm. As a guard, she was all over the floor, creating scoring opportunities and hitting the buckets. Clark kept on piling the numbers and setting the records in the pro-basketball league.

And it was not just limited to the individual court performances. Caitlin Clark, as a player, has also garnered the attention of the new male audience in the league. The WNBA attendance on the court, as well as the broadcast viewership, has also surged for the league. But this time, it will not be just about the on-court performances of the Indians Fever guard. Rather, we will also go through the off-court impact of Caitlin Clark as a player, including her social service acts. So, let’s get ahead with it.

The WNBA Single Season Assist Record

As per the official website of the NBA, Caitlin Clark set the record for most assists in a single season in 2024, when she made a total of 317 assists in the league. It came when she broke Alyssa Thomas’ record of 316 records in 40 games. However, Caitlin Clark achieved this fate in just less than 38 games on September 14, 2024. Clark has accumulated about 337 assists in a single season playing the whole season of 40 games in the league.

Most Assists in a Single Game

Apart from the single-season record for the most assists, Caitlin Clark also broke the record for the most assists in a single game. Surprisingly, the record that Clark made came during the loss of Indiana Fever to Dallas Wings. Clark made an astonishing 19 assists in that game. The previous record holder for the concerned stats was Courtney Vandersloot, who made the same record with 18 assists for Chicago Sky.

Vandersloot made the same feat of 18 assists twice, once in 2020 and once in 2021. And Clark was the first rookie after so many years to set the record as Ticha Penicheiro set this record for most assists in a single game in 1998. However, Caitlin Clark broke the chain after about 26 years.

Most Three-Pointers By A Point Guard(Temporary)

One of the most special records that Caitlin Clark achieved in her rookie season was the most number of three-pointers by a point guard. Initially, the record belonged to the legend of WNBA, Diana Taurasi, who has been a veteran on the court. However, Clark was exceptional as she made 122 three-pointers as a guard on 355 attempts. As per Marca, Diana Taurasi was the owner of this record before. Surprisingly, Taurasi was the one who said “reality is coming” for Clark when the latter made a transition to WNBA after dominating college basketball. However, looks like it turned the other way around for Diana Taurasi.

But soon, Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty broke Caitlin’s record as the former now has 128 three-pointers in a single season, six more than the Fever guard.

Single-Season Scoring Record

Caitlin Clark scored the single-season scoring record against the Dallas Wings. She did it on September 16, 2024, when the Indiana Fever clinched the victory over the Dallas Wings with a 110-109 scoreline. And the Fever guard has a big contribution in it as she scored 35 points that night along with 8 assists. It was a marvelous match where Clark crossed the threshold of 744 points and set a 761-point goal for the players pursuing the record. The last record for the Single-season score was owned by Seimone Augustus, who set the record in 2006. But after 18 years, Clark has set a new record of 769 points in a single season.

Viewership Records for Broadcasting Channels

The Indiana Fever guard’s on-court performance was not the only aspect that surprised the basketball world. Instead, it was her following as a player that shocked the WNBA community since Clark was just a rookie. However, she made her mark and attracted the following viewership for the WNBA broadcasting partners:

• ESPN: Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky, 2.3 million
• CBS: Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever, 2.25 million
• ABC: Seattle Storm-Indiana Fever, 2.2 million
• ESPN2: Indiana Fever-Connecticut Sun, 2.1 million
• Ion: Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky, 1.6 million
• NBA TV: Las Vegas Aces-Indiana Fever, 678K

Fox executive Michael Mulvihill reported that games featuring Clark averaged 1.178 million viewers on TV, nearly three times higher than the average for other WNBA games, which drew 394,000 viewers. The most dramatic attendance changes took place in Washington and Atlanta in the previous season. Atlanta witnessed 17,592 fans in comparison to 3,316 fans(2023), while Washington got 20,522 fans in comparison to last year’s 4988 fans on Fever’s visit. It might be safe to assume that “Caitlinmania” was not a hoax, and Caitlin Clark did accumulate a much greater crowd for the league.

How Caitlin Clark Learned From Her Past

Caitlin Clark had a learning curve at the Iowa University instead of the WNBA. She made the team famous once again among the collegiate basketball enthusiasts. She even led the Iowa Hawkeyes to continuous national appearances in 2023 and 2024. However, in 2023, the LSU basketball denied Clark’s Hawkeyes team entry, and the latter could not even get to the title. A year later, Caitlin Clark led her college team past the Louisiana State University team. When the guard was asked what led to this development after the game, the Iowa guard did not dwell on the past.

Instead of a usual comeback story, Clark answered differently when she said, “It’s not about last year. You worry too much about the past, you’re going to get caught up in that. It’s about being present. Being where your feet are. Don’t worry about being in the Final Four. Be in this moment … That’s what’s going to allow you to win 40 minutes, and that’s exactly what we did.” It revealed the mentality that Caitlin Clark was carrying from her childhood and her true spirit as a player.

Even during her post-game interview of her final game with the Iowa team, she revealed to an Iowa reporter what she learned over the four years. “I think over the course of my career I’ve been the one that’s been able to realize I’m not going to be perfect every game.” It reflected that Caitlin focuses on giving her best in the game, but the outcome might not be the same every time as she expects. That’s what has been leading Caitlin Clark from collegiate excellence to WNBA success.

Clark Became the Third Rookie in Franchise History to Start an All-Star Game

 On July 20, Clark made her WNBA All-Star debut, becoming just the third rookie in franchise history to start an All-Star game. During Clark’s 26 minutes of All-Star playing time, she tied for the second most assists recorded in an All-Star game with a game-high 10 assists. Also received the most All-Star Game votes in WNBA history with 700,735 votes.

Off-Court Impact on Youth

Caitlin Clark hails from an athletic family where her parents provided her with everything that she needed to bloom in the world of sports. However, not everyone gets the chance to be as lucky as Clark. Some athletes get lost in the streets of poverty and lack of equipment. But the Indiana Fever guard knows the reality and is committed to helping such young athletes. Here are the ways through which she helps them:

The Caitlin Clark Foundation: As per the Churchill Observer, Clark strives to improve and uplift the lives of children and teenagers through education, nutrition, and sport through this foundation. As part of her charitable work, Clark supported her community by raising over $100,000 for the Coralville Community Food Pantry in Iowa.

Gear Up Campaign: Through this campaign, the Caitlin Clark Foundation donated $35,000 worth of sports equipment to a youth development organization in Des Moines, Iowa. Clark’s passion for helping others has encouraged students at WCHS to do the same and give back to their community. 

Caitlin Clark Surpasses Stephen Curry’s Three-Point Record

Yes, it is not a bait! Caitlin Clark did break Stephen Curry’s three-point record. However, it was not a league record but an NCAA Division I record in a single season by a man or a woman. Former Iowa guard broke the Warriors’ guard record while competing in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals against Penn State. She tallied out 24 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in that game. Though it was not a great night for Clark as a shooter, she missed 11 three-pointers before shooting in the fourth quarter. But still, she was able to get past Stephen Curry’s record.

Why Did Caitlin Clark Reject a Million-Dollar Offer?

Caitlin Clark got a lucrative offer of about $1 million, reportedly, as per Marca, for the 3-on-3 basketball league, Unrivaled. However, Clark prioritized her personal well-being and health over everything, She had a long run last year since joining the WNBA. First, it was her last season with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Soon after that WNBA pre-season started, and then the regular season. In the midst of all that, Caitlin Clark also faced tough play from teams during the games. So, it was not easy for her to tread through such conditions and yet make records.

That’s why she rejected the offer for the rest reportedly. Also, she is a famous name and already earning enough after her stellar performance in her rookie season.

There are speculations that Caitlin Clark might prove to be the Jordan of the WNBA. And if she does want to do so, she has to be available for her primary game in the WNBA rather than side earnings from off-season leagues.

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