Caitlin Clark becomes first rookie in WNBA history to record triple-double
Clark (No. 22) grabs the rebound during the game against the New York Liberty on July 6
By Homero De La Fuente, CNN
(CNN) — Indiana Fever rookie phenom Caitlin Clark has etched her name in the WNBA history books, becoming the first rookie in league history to record a triple-double in the team’s 83-78 victory over the New York Liberty on Saturday.
The Fever star reached the historic stat line with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, as the 22-year-old came down with a defensive rebound on a Kayla Thornton miss. Clark finished with 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds, for the first triple-double in Fever history.
“Obviously, it’s really cool. I mean my teammates have been finishing the ball really, really at a high rate, my assists numbers is because of them,” Clark said after the game.
“Honestly, I’m just happy we won. I take a lot of pride of being able to do a lot of different things for this team.”
After having lost their first three meetings with the WNBA’s best Liberty, the Fever overcame an 11-point deficit early in the fourth quarter, going on an 11-0 run late to steal the victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Clark’s latest accomplishment comes a day after Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese extended her single-season record for double-doubles to 12.
The former LSU star’s 12 consecutive double-doubles matched the all-time record set by all-time WNBA great Candace Parker, who achieved the feat across the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Having competed against each other in many memorable contests through their collegiate and early WNBA careers, Clark and Reese’s latest battle is for Rookie of the Year honors, with both being the clear-cut front runners.
Reese and Clark were both recently named WNBA All-Stars.
It’s the first time two rookies are WNBA All-Stars in the same season since 2014.
“I’m always going to make a case for my players,” Fever head coach Christie Sides said of Clark after the game. “First and foremost, she is the most competitive human being I’ve ever met. I really compare her to Diana Tuarasi. She’s always looking to find ways to get better.
“She just wants to win; she just wants to win. She’s going to be my rookie of the year, every day.”
Reese was named WNBA Rookie of the Month for June. Clark, meanwhile, was named Rookie of the Month in May. Team WNBA will take on the USA Basketball Women’s National Team at the Footprint Center in Phoenix for a sold-out game on July 20.
Clark has consistently drawn huge crowds during her time in the WNBA. On Tuesday, 20,366 watched her Fever lose 88-69 against the Las Vegas Aces, the fifth-biggest crowd in league history and largest since 1999.
The Fever are currently the No. 8 seed in the playoff race, sitting half-a-game behind Reese’s Chicago Sky for the seventh spot.
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