Caitlin Clark continues to add to her already historic 2024 season with yet another milestone, as she broke the WNBA single-season rookie record for assists in the Indiana Fever’s 92-75 win over the Seattle Storm on Sunday. Clark, who has dazzled fans with her playmaking ability throughout her rookie campaign, recorded nine assists in the game, bringing her season total to 232 and surpassing the previous record of 224 set by Ticha Penicheiro in 1998.
Clark’s record-breaking performance further cements her status as one of the brightest young stars in the league. The Iowa standout has been a force in her first WNBA season, leading the league in assists with an average of 8.3 per game. Her exceptional court vision and passing skills have drawn comparisons to some of the greatest playmakers in basketball history, including Penicheiro, who was known for her creativity and flair as a passer.
Penicheiro, the No. 2 overall pick in the 1998 WNBA Draft, enjoyed a distinguished career with the Sacramento Monarchs, a franchise that is no longer in the league. She played a pivotal role in leading the Monarchs to the 2005 WNBA championship and finished her career with 2,600 assists, the third-most in WNBA history. Clark, who was only four years old when Penicheiro entered the league and ten when she retired, has spoken about their connection during her college career at Iowa, where she first became acquainted with Penicheiro’s legacy.
Clark’s ability to break Penicheiro’s record in just 28 games, compared to Penicheiro’s 30, highlights her rapid impact on the league. With the WNBA regular season expanded to 40 games, Clark still has 12 games left to build on her assist total. At her current pace, she is on track to challenge the overall WNBA single-season assist record of 316, set last year by Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun.
As of now, Thomas, who is second in the league in assists this season with 202 through 26 games, remains in the conversation for the assist crown. However, Clark’s trajectory suggests that she could surpass Thomas’s record in just 11 more games, setting the stage for a thrilling race to the finish.
The Indiana Fever, currently seventh in the WNBA standings with a 13-15 record, have shown significant improvement this season, already matching their win total from last year. The team hasn’t posted a winning record since 2015, when they reached the WNBA Finals, and they haven’t made the playoffs since 2016. With Clark leading the charge, the Fever are hopeful of ending their postseason drought and continuing their ascent in the league standings.
Clark’s latest achievement adds to an already remarkable year, one in which she has continued to shatter records and redefine expectations for a rookie in the WNBA. As the Fever push toward a potential playoff berth, all eyes will be on Clark as she continues to etch her name in the history books.
