Caitlin Clark's Record-Shattering Surge Has WNBA on Notice, But Peers Still Snub Iowa's Favorite Daughter

DES MOINES, Iowa — Caitlin Clark, the former Iowa Hawkeyes superstar who turned the state into a women's basketball powerhouse, is doing it again. Only this time, she's rewriting the WNBA record book while leading the Indiana Fever to the top of the Eastern Conference with a 24-12 record.

The 24-year-old guard is averaging 22.1 points and 8.3 assists per game this season, numbers that have climbed to an extraordinary 26.1 points and 9.2 assists over her past 12 games. She's shooting 49.5 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from three-point range during that stretch.

Clark's surge has put her firmly in the MVP conversation. But it's also reignited questions about why her fellow players continue to rank her below peers who haven't matched her production.

85 Games In, Clark Is Already Rewriting History

Just 85 games into her professional career, Clark's name is littered throughout the WNBA record book.

• League record for most 20-point, 10-assist games in a single season (10) and in a career (20)
• Fastest player to 30 career double-doubles
• Only player in WNBA history to record 700-plus points and 250-plus assists in two seasons
• Fastest player in either the WNBA or NBA this century to reach 700 career assists
• Only player in league history to average at least 26 points and nine assists across a 10-game stretch

Her rookie season provided the warning of what was coming. She broke the WNBA single-season assists record and single-game assists record while establishing rookie marks for points, assists and three-pointers. She became the first rookie in WNBA history to record two triple-doubles and was crowned Rookie of the Year.

Why Hasn't the Respect Always Followed?

For all the records and unprecedented attention Clark has generated, recognition from within the basketball world hasn't always kept pace.

That complicated relationship began almost immediately when Clark was left off Team USA's squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The roster was announced when Clark was just 13 games into her rookie season and Indiana sat at 3-10.

Clark took the decision in stride publicly.

“Honestly, no disappointment. It just gives you something to work for,” Clark said. “That's a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there.”

Two years later, the question has emerged again. Despite developing into an MVP-calibre player, Clark received only the 11th-most votes among guards in the player component of the 2026 WNBA All-Star voting.

WNBA legend Candace Parker took particular issue with the result.

“I think people need to look at themselves in the mirror and realise, man, you got some insecurities,” Parker said. “If you're sitting down and putting Caitlin Clark as the 11th best...”

Former WNBA star Stacey Dales called the result “insulting” and “preposterous.” Sports commentator Colin Cowherd described it as “petty.”

Clark Isn't Just Changing Records, She's Changing the WNBA

Clark's impact away from the box score is what makes her rise so extraordinary. She arrived in the WNBA carrying an enormous audience from her record-breaking college career at Iowa and has brought that audience with her.

The five most-watched WNBA games this season have all featured Clark and the Fever, drawing audiences of approximately 2.6 million, 2.56 million, 2.51 million, 2.49 million and 2.01 million viewers. Each of the 13 largest WNBA audiences over the past 25 years has involved Clark in some capacity.

Television audiences have surged. Arenas have filled. Games have been moved into larger venues.

What Legacy Does Clark Want?

Asked what she hoped her legacy would be, Clark pointed not to points or trophies, but impact.

“A lot of my favourite players growing up, I don't know how many points they ever ended up scoring, or I don't know how many three-pointers they made,” Clark said. “Hopefully, it's just the impact that you can leave on people and the way you made them feel.”

For Clark, part of that impact is introducing people to a sport she has loved her entire life.

“There's so many people that have come up to me and been like, 'I've never watched women's basketball before,' and I don't take offence to that,” she said. “I think that's a really cool thing to bring people in that have maybe never experienced something that I've loved all my life.”

What's Next for Clark and the Fever?

Clark and the Fever have won five straight and eight of their past 10 games. With the playoffs approaching, Indiana appears poised for a deep run.

Eighty-five games. That's all Caitlin Clark has needed to rewrite chunks of the WNBA record book and become an MVP-calibre superstar.

But if Clark gets her wish, her eventual legacy will be measured by something much bigger than numbers: by how many people she brought with her.