Clark, Reese and the 10 best rookie seasons in WNBA history

Caitlin Clark was born in 2002, five years after the WNBA was founded, and grew up with the league. Playing in the WNBA has long been a dream of hers. Now, nearing the end of her record-breaking first season, it’s clear that in just one summer, she’s already made an impact.

“A lot of this rookie class grew up loving this league,” Clark said. “They talk about a lot of memories from their childhood spent at a WNBA game or they have a particular player they love.”

“I don’t know if you’re necessarily better prepared as a fan to play in the WNBA – but maybe from the perspective of really knowing how good this league is. You’re going to continue to see these young players that come into the league and idolize (a player) or a certain team … and that was a very formative part of their young lives.”

Some may one day say that Clark influenced them in that way. She’s off to a strong start to what could be an epic career. How good was she as a rookie?

She currently leads the WNBA in assists and 3-pointers and ranks seventh in scoring. She was the first rookie to record a triple-double; she has two. Clark has eight games with at least 20 points and 10 assists, the most of any player in a season. With Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Dream, she became the first player in WNBA history to average at least 25 points and 10 assists in five games.

Clark has also made at least three 3-pointers in 10 consecutive games, the longest streak in WNBA history. And Clark was a key factor in helping the Indiana Fever end their seven-year playoff drought as they qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2016.

When it comes to bringing attention to the WNBA and attracting new fans, Clark is in a league of her own. Her popularity, boosted by her run to the NCAA Division I scoring record and two national championship game appearances during her time at Iowa, has translated to the WNBA as much as it has to her game. WNBA tickets are a hot commodity both in Indiana and across the league.

Where does Clark’s season rank among the top 10 rookie seasons in WNBA history? And does Angel Reese’s season – now out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury – make this list? All rookies were eligible, not just those named WNBA Rookie of the Year. However, everyone on the list except this year’s rookies have won that honor. The 2024 award has not yet been announced, although Clark is the clear favorite.

As with most rankings, it’s almost impossible to narrow this one down to 10. How can we leave out, for example, Seimone Augustus, who is the all-time leading rookie in scoring average (21.9 in 2006)? And what about Cheryl Ford, who averaged a double-double (10.8 PPG, 10.4 RPG) in 2003 and, along with Maya Moore, is the only Rookie of the Year winner to win a WNBA championship in her first year?

We tried to include rookies who made an impression in multiple categories in their first season, as well as whether they accomplished feats that were historic not just for rookies, but for players in general. Only two true guards – Clark and Diana Taurasi – made this list. That’s likely because guards can take a little longer to adjust to the league.

But in Clark’s case, it didn’t take long for the league to adjust to her needs.

Rookie year statistics: 18.5 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.3 BPG

Parker is the only Rookie of the Year to also win MVP in the same season. The No. 1 draft pick won back-to-back NCAA titles with Tennessee and was an instant force in the WNBA, winning an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2008, then making it to the Western Conference finals with the Sparks. Parker won another MVP award (2013), was named Defensive Player of the Year (2020), and was a member of three WNBA championship teams (2016, 2021, 2023).

Rookie year statistics: 18.6 points per game, 8.6 reflexes per game, 3.7 attacks per game, 2.9 steep shots per game

Catchings was drafted No. 3 in 2001 but had to recover from a knee injury that ended her final season in Tennessee. Her rookie season was 2002, when she led the Fever to their first playoff appearance. Catchings recorded 9.2 win shares, the most ever by a WNBA rookie. The forward was named league MVP in 2011, was a five-time Defensive Player of the Year and won the championship in 2012.

Rookie year statistics (until September 10): 19.2 points per game, 5.8 missiles per game, 8.5 attacks per game, 1.3 self-propelled guns

Clark was the first pick in April, behind Aliyah Boston, who was also selected No. 1 and the Fever’s 2023 Rookie of the Year. The two have made great strides in a season as the top guard-post duo. Clark has also gelled well with her backcourt mate Kelsey Mitchell; both are averaging just over 19 points per game. It’s fair to say Clark is having the best offensive season ever for a WNBA rookie. The advantage of having a player like Catchings is that she was also an elite defender as a rookie. Clark has made strides on that side of the court. And while she’s averaging 5.7 turnovers per game, which is league-high, you have to consider that she’s the team’s primary ball-handler and the league’s leading assist player.

Rookie year statistics: 13.2 points per game, 4.6 missiles per game, 2.6 attacks per game, 1.4 self-propelled guns

The three-time Wade Trophy winner at UConn didn’t have the best stats as the No. 1 pick in 2011, but her impact was immediate and huge. She was the missing piece the Lynx needed to lead them to the first of their four WNBA championships that year. The forward was named league MVP in 2014 and has appeared in the WNBA Finals six times in her eight seasons in the league.

Rookie year statistics: 20.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.7 BPG

Wilson was the second of three consecutive No. 1 picks for the Aces, following Kelsey Plum (when the franchise was still in San Antonio) and ahead of Jackie Young. As a group, they helped lead the Aces to the last two WNBA titles. Wilson was immediately the poster child of the Aces franchise when it moved to Las Vegas in her rookie year, and the center is on pace for her third MVP award this season. She has also won the Defensive Player of the Year Award twice.

Rookie year statistics: 18.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.9 BPG

Stewart had just won four straight NCAA titles at UConn when she became the Storm’s second No. 1 pick behind Jewell Loyd. In Stewart’s WNBA rookie season, the forward followed in the footsteps of Candace Parker and Diana Taurasi and won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA. Stewart, now with the New York Liberty, has since won two WNBA MVP awards and two league championships.

Rookie year statistics: 18.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.8 BPG

Delle Donne, the No. 2 pick from Delaware, has the best 3-point percentage (43.8%) and free throw percentage (92.9%) of any WNBA Rookie of the Year winner. If anyone was questioning whether Delle Donne would need more time to adjust to the WNBA because she didn’t play in a power conference in college, she proved that wasn’t the case. The forward guard won two MVP awards and one WNBA championship.

Rookie year statistics: 17.0 points per game, 4.4 reflexes per game, 3.9 attacks per game, 1.3 steep shots per game

Taurasi was the No. 1 pick out of UConn, where the defender won three straight NCAA titles. She was named Rookie of the Year and also won the first of six Olympic gold medals with Team USA in her debut season in the WNBA. The Mercury missed the playoffs that year but won their first WNBA title in 2007. In total, Taurasi has won three championship titles with the Mercury. She was the league MVP in 2009 and is the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Rookie year statistics: 15.5 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.7 BPG

Charles won two consecutive NCAA titles with perfect seasons at UConn before being selected No. 1 in 2010. Until Angel Reese this year, Charles had the highest rebounding average of any rooky in WNBA history. Charles won the league’s MVP award in 2012. Now with Atlanta, the center ranks second in career scoring behind Taurasi.

10. Angel Reese, Chicago Sky, 2024

Rookie year statistics: 13.6 points per game, 13.1 missiles per game, 1.9 attacks per game, 1.3 self-propelled guns

Reese was drafted the lowest of all the players to make this top 10 list: She was selected No. 7 this year out of LSU, where she won the 2023 NCAA title. But Reese was very successful as a rebounder, setting the WNBA single-season record for rebounds (446) and setting the record for most consecutive double-doubles (15). Her season was shortened by a wrist injury, but the forward still played 34 games.

Also taken into account: Seimone Augustus, Cheryl Ford, Sue Bird