ARLINGTON, TEXAS – JULY 17: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever reacts after a play against the Dallas Wings at the College Park Center on July 17, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark impressed fans with a WNBA record of 19 assists against the Dallas Wings on Wednesday. Although the Fever lost the game 93-101, Clark’s performance, including 24 points and six rebounds, became a talking point.
Clark has already begun to stand out in the WNBA Rookie of the Year race, with this being the latest of a string of eye-popping performances from the No. 1 pick.
Entering the game, Clark averaged 16.8 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.8 rebounds in what’s been a historic rookie campaign.
Fans reacted to her latest performance on X:
Caitlin Clark is out of this world:
24 points
19 (!!!) ASSISTS (WNBA RECORD)
6 rebounds pic.twitter.com/mYfd9GyQVC— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 18, 2024
“ROY and it isn’t close at all.” one fan tweeted.
“Angel Reese needs to take notes. Can’t stat pad assists like angel does pts and rebs,” another user wrote.
The performance left fans amazed, bringing Caitlin Clark’s rivalry with fellow rookie Angel Reese into debate yet again.
“People really think Reese is better,” a fan commented.
Some fans defended Angel Reese’s ROY argument:
“What we think Angel is doin rn? She going for 25 boards tmm,” a fan wrote.
Nothing crazy. She gets her second place in the ROTY race secured. Angel still the ROTY,” another fan argued.
Caitlin Clark Breaks WNBA Single-Game Assists Record vs. Wings
Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese has also made a big statement in the Rookie of the Year race. She earned All-Star honors with an impressive rookie campaign to this point, averaging 13.5 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per night.
The two have been involved in a media-fueled rivalry due to the immense hype and playing history, which is reminiscent of the Magic-Bird rivalry that ignited the NBA’s popularity in the late ’70s.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are the WNBA Rookie of the Year frontrunners, with both looking to get the upper hand in the race.
Clark’s 19 assists broke the previous WNBA single-game record of 18, set by Courtney Vandersloot in 2020, coincidentally against the Indiana Fever.
Despite a heroic effort from Clark, the Fever could not win, losing 101-93. The loss drops the Fever to 11-15 in the season, putting them in a tie with the Chicago Sky at 10.5 games back going into the All-Star break.