The Rookie of the Year races in the NBA and WNBA had very different outcomes this season. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs finished with a 22-60 record, ranking as the fifth-worst team, while Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever (20-20) were eliminated in the playoffs. It’s worth noting that the NBA has nearly three times more teams, making it harder to qualify for the playoffs, especially for a team as young as the Spurs, who were the youngest in the league, followed closely by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite these team struggles, both Wembanyama and Clark exceeded the high expectations placed on them with their remarkable individual performances.
Wembanyama High Praise for Caitlin Clark
Rookies admire one another. In an interview, when asked about which WNBA player inspires him, Victor Wembanyama responded with Caitlin Clark. He praised Clark as his favorite player to watch during last season’s college basketball games. The silver medalist for France in the Paris Olympics said, “Of any man or woman who played last season, the only player who truly amazed me was Caitlin Clark. She’s probably the most impressive I’ve ever seen.”
Clark’s accomplishments back that statement. Last year, she became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, across both men’s and women’s basketball. Wembanyama, like Clark, can boast an impressive start to his season, which is expected to improve further with the addition of Chris Paul to the Spurs. The San Antonio center averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and led the league with 3.6 blocks per game. In February, Wembanyama became the first rookie since David Robinson in 1990 to record a 10-block triple-double, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Eleven days later, he registered a 5×5 game (at least 5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, and 5 blocks), making him the second rookie in NBA history to do so. In addition to being on the NBA All-Defensive First Team and obviously the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Clark’s End to a Historic Season
Caitlin Clark, despite what many believe should have been a unanimous decision, won the WNBA Rookie of the Year, receiving 66 out of 67 votes, the league announced on Thursday. The lone vote went to Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese. Clark led the Fever to their first postseason appearance since 2016, while the team also improved its win total by seven games in 2024. Clark dominated nearly every category among rookies, leading in points, assists, three-pointers, field goals, and steals. She became the first rookie to record a triple-double, doing so twice. Additionally, she set rookie records for most points (769), assists, and three-pointers in a single season, proving that despite defenses trying to study her, she remains virtually unstoppable.
