Caitlin Clark named All-WNBA first team
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark was named to the All-WNBA first team on Wednesday, becoming the first rookie in 16 years to earn the honor.
Clark joined Napheesa Collier, league MVP A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, Breanna Stewart and Alyssa Thomas on the first team. Wilson and Collier, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, received unanimous first-team votes. It's the sixth first-team honor and seventh overall for Stewart, also a two-time league MVP.
Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas Wings) and Jonquel Jones (Liberty) were named to the All-WNBA second team.
Clark received 52 first-team votes, fourth-most overall. She also finished fourth in MVP voting. She's the first rookie named to the first team since Candace Parker in 2008. Sue Bird (2002), Tamika Catchings (2002) and Diana Taurasi (2004) were also first-team rookies.
The WNBA Rookie of the Year, Clark finished her first campaign averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and a league-high 8.4 assists per game.
Stewart, Ionescu and Jones all play for the New York Liberty, who are locked in a 1-1 series tie with the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals. Collier is the only player from the Lynx named to either team.
Ionescu was the top vote-getter on the second team, earning 204 points, 51 points shy of Thomas of the Connecticut Sun.
The teams were selected by a panel of 67 sportswriters and broadcasters. Voting was conducted at the conclusion of the regular season. Players were selected without regard to position.
--Field Level Media/Reuters