A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark had record seasonsposting statistics by no means earlier than seen within the WNBA.
Wilson turned the primary participant in league historical past to attain greater than 1,000 factors in a season, averaging a league-high 26.9 factors. Clark broke the league single-season help file and scored probably the most factors ever by a rookie.
It’s no shock, then, that on Sunday, the 2 have been unanimously honored by a panel of 15 journalists for the AP Player and Rookie of the Year awards, respectively.
“It means loads,” Wilson stated in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “The preparation you set in, the strategy I’ve taken this season.”
The Las Vegas Aces star has been named League MVP Sunday earlier, additionally unanimously. The WNBA will announce the remainder of its awards through the postseason, which begins Sunday.
Wilson completed the common season with 1,021 factors and 451 rebounds and led the league with 98 blocks. She completed third in WNBA MVP voting final season, receiving a fourth-place vote that she stated impressed her to enhance within the offseason.
“He pushed me a bit of bit once I began my offseason exercises, however I received over it by February,” Wilson stated. “I didn’t need to give that person who vitality, and that’s once I began to freeze up.”
Clark got here into the league with arguably extra hype than another freshman and delivered on her promise, main the Indiana Fever to the playoffs for the primary time since 2016. She broke the WNBA single-season file with 337 assists, together with a league-record 19 in a single recreation. She additionally broke the single-season freshman scoring file with a 19.2-point common.
“It is an amazing honor to be named The Associated Press Rookie of the Year,” she stated. “This recognition wouldn’t be potential with out an unbelievable group of teammates and coaches, and we sit up for persevering with an thrilling common season into the postseason.”
Off the courtroom, she helped the WNBA attain file scores and attendance.
Clark led the all-freshman staff with Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky, who broke the rebounds per recreation file with a 13.1 common. She would have additionally held the all-time rebounds file had she not been injured late within the season. The different freshmen on the staff have been Leonie Fiebich of New York, Rickea Jackson of Los Angeles and Kamilla Cardoso of Chicago.
Wilson’s teammate Tiffany Hayes received the AP Sixth Woman of the Year Award.
“She’s the distinction maker in loads of methods, what she brings to the ground and the locker room,” Wilson stated. “Tiff would not should be the vocal chief, however when she speaks, everybody listens to her and it exhibits what an incredible participant she is.”
Wilson and Clark have been the highest seeds on the AP All-WNBA first staff. They have been joined by Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart and Alyssa Thomas. Sabrina Ionescu, Kahleah Copper, Nneka Ogwumike, Kayla McBride and Arike Ogunbowale have been on the second staff.
Other AP winners have been:
—Coach of the Year: Cheryl Reeve. Helped Minnesota end second within the common season with a staff that was picked ninth within the preseason. The Lynx received the Commissioner’s Cup and completed the common season with 13 wins of their remaining 15 video games.
—Returning Player of the Year: Skylar Diggins-Smith. The Seattle Storm guard sat out final season after giving beginning to her second youngster. Diggins-Smith averaged 15.1 factors and 6.4 assists this season.
—Player with probably the most enchancment: Dearica Hamby. The Los Angeles Sparks ahead made an enormous leap ahead this season, averaging 17.3 factors, up 8.4 from final season. She additionally improved her rebounds by greater than three per recreation. Hamby edged out Connecticut’s DiJonai Carrington by one vote.
—Defensive Player: Collier. The Lynx star had an amazing season on each ends of the ground, however she was an anchor, particularly for Minnesota’s stellar protection. The staff had the very best protection within the WNBA this season, and Collier’s play was an enormous purpose. Wilson completed second, three votes behind Collier.
“I’m so happy with Phee’s defensive effort in 2024. His dedication to all elements of our protection (deflections, denials, steals, blocks, rebounds) anchored one of many league’s greatest defensive groups and led them to their greatest season as a professional,” Reeve stated.
