Caitlin Clark was recently named the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year. She had a tremendous season and broke multiple records. As the first-round No. 1 draft pick for the Indiana Fever, she has brought in a lot of fans for the WNBA and attention to women’s sports.
Clark has mentioned during interviews that she looks up to Maya Moore as someone to aspire to. Although Clark is already considered one of the best, here are the best previous Rookies of the Year.
- Napheesa Collier
Current forward for the Minnesota Lynx, Napheesa Collier won Rookie of the Year in 2019. During her rookie season, she averaged 13.1 points per game in the regular season and 19 points in the postseason.
Throughout her career, Collier averaged 7.9 rebounds in the regular season. She has been a crucial player for the Lynx, especially during their postseason games. Although the Lynx fell short in the fifth and final game of the championship series this year, Collier had her best season yet and won 2024 Defensive Player of the Year.
In addition to her strides in the WNBA, she has earned two Olympic gold medals for Team USA.
- Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi has been a guard for the Phoenix Mercury since 2004. When she won 2004 Rookie of the Year she was averaging 17 points per game, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.
Over her 20-year career, she has a regular season average of 18.8 points per game. Ranking fourth in Olympic Women’s basketball for career points, Taurasi has a total of 419. She has earned six Olympic gold medals with Team USA. In addition to gold, she also has three WNBA titles, three Best WNBA Player ESPYS and the 2009 WNBA MVP title.
- Candace Parker
Candace Parker was a forward for the Los Angeles Sparks during her rookie year in 2008. She played 13 seasons with the Sparks.
Following her time with the team, she played for two years on the Chicago Sky and retired after winning the WNBA Championship with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023.
She is the only WNBA player to win three WNBA Championships with three different teams. She also holds two WNBA MVP titles. Parker averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in her rookie year during the regular season and holds the record for four Best WNBA Player ESPYS.
- Breanna Stewart
Breanna Stewart’s 2016 Rookie of the Year award was accomplished with the Seattle Storm. “Stewie,” as referred to by fans, averaged 18.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists a game over her first regular season.
Stewart has been a consistent player for points and rebounds during her 8 years so far in the WNBA. She went home with an ESPY for Best WNBA Player in 2019 and 2020. In 2023 Stewart made the switch to the New York Liberty taking them to the finals in 2023 and winning the championship this year. She has won three gold medals at the Olympics while competing for Team USA and is a two-time WNBA MVP.
- A’ja Wilson
A’ja Wilson is a center for the Las Vegas Aces and was voted 2018 Rookie of the Year. She started her career with 20.7 points and 8 rebounds per game on average. Fast forward to 2024, Wilson has averaged 26.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per regular season game.
In 2020, 2022 and 2023 Wilson led the WNBA for blocks. Wilson was named the 2024 WNBA MVP for the third time in her seven years so far in the league and has earned the Defensive Player of the Year award twice.
Similar to others on this list, Wilson has two gold medals at the Olympics for her contribution to Team USA. At this year’s ESPY Awards, she won two awards. One for Best WNBA Player and the other for the Best Athlete in Women’s Sports. Currently, she holds the record for the most single-season rebounds and has the highest single-game scoring record for 53 points.
