Caitlin Clark’s remarkable WNBA rookie season just hit a new milestone. The Indiana Fever youngster recently set a league record for assists. NBA legend Isiah Thomas noticed the accomplishment and couldn’t contain his excitement on the special occasion.
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Following the Fever’s 92-75 home victory yesterday against the Seattle Storm, Thomas took to X to shout out Clark’s brilliant feat. The 2x NBA champion paid tribute to her, writing,
“Let it be known that only a special few in our game’s history can score while assisting teammates.”
Let it be known that only a special few in our game’s history can score while assisting teammates. https://t.co/3UkKLxD7O2
— Isiah Thomas (@IsiahThomas) August 18, 2024
Thomas‘ praise stemmed from the 22-year-old’s record-breaking performance against the Western Conference giants. With 9 assists on the night, Clark brought her season total to 232, surpassing Ticha Penicheiro’s 1998 record of 225. This made her the WNBA’s all-time leader in assists for a rookie.
It also brought her within striking distance of Alyssa Thomas’ WNBA single-season assists record (316).
Following this remarkable achievement, Clark shared her thoughts in the post-game interview. She initially expressed gratitude for Penicheiro’s support since her Iowa Hawkeyes days,“Ticha has been a big fan of mine, ever since I was in college and somebody that has always been right there to congratulate me or just be somebody that has offered advice.”
“To pass somebody like her, I’m just forever thankful that she has been such a legend in our game. It’s super cool but hopefully there is a lot more of those,” she added.
Interestingly, her shooting performance made her night even more special. She went 3-10 from beyond the arc to set the franchise record with 78 three-pointers in her rookie campaign, surpassing Tamika Catchings’ tally (76).
She now requires 8 more from beyond the arc to break Rhyne Howard’s 2022 record of 85 three-pointers to become the WNBA rookie with the most threes ever.
Caitlin Clark is now 85 AST away from breaking the WNBA single-season assist record.
She also needs 8 3PM to set a new rookie record. pic.twitter.com/Q7Yp5o21L6
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) August 18, 2024
As a result, Thomas’ praise for Clark was understandable, especially considering his support for the WNBA rookie from the beginning.
What did Isiah Thomas say about Caitlin Clark’s arrival to the WNBA?
During a discussion with Dan Dakich on Don’t @ Me, Thomas pointed to Clark’s impact on the global popularity of the WNBA. He discussed how the media started to shed more light on this league since her arrival, stating,
“For too long… the media hasn’t really shined a light on the WNBA athletically and competitively… But now, since Caitlin has arrived, and she had a great college career, and she was fantastic to watch… and you’re curious… you want to see it go on. I think it’s great what she’s done, and I think it’s great what the media and the WNBA and marketing and the players are doing.”
Given the rising numbers in WNBA viewership, his praise again remains justified. For instance, Clark’s debut against the Connecticut Sun drew an average audience of 2.13 million, making it the most-watched WNBA game in 23 years. This surge in viewership continued, benefiting the franchise and the league as a whole.
