{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The fever (no pun intended) is still running high at Caitlin Clark.
The WNBA’s phenomenal new rookie was not only named an All-Star, but she also received the most votes of any player.
Clark was the only player to surpass 700,000 votes (by 735), while her Indiana Fever teammate Aaliyah Boston placed second with 618,680.
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Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever smiles during the game against the Phoenix Mercury on June 30, 2024 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)
Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson, who received the most votes in the first round, was third with 607,300.
Entering Tuesday, Clark was averaging 16.2 points and 6.9 assists per game, which ranks tops among rookies. Among all players, she ranks third in assists per game and 16th in points per game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Clark will be paired with longtime rival Angel Reese, who recently set the league record for most consecutive games with a double-double (10). Reese leads the WNBA with 11.8 rebounds per game and is one of four players averaging a double-double this season.
Although Clark recently shut down any talk of a “rivalry” between the two, their showdowns are not to be missed. It all started at the 2023 national championship, when Reese, then of LSU, hit Clark, then an Iowa Hawkeye, with a “you can’t see me” taunt and pointed to his ring finger.
Clark and Iowa got their revenge in the last March Madness tournament, and Clark is also 2-1 against Reese in their WNBA careers. Now, the two will share a locker room, a bench and, most likely, the court. Their last two meetings are the two most-watched WNBA games in more than 20 years.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky look on during the game on June 1, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Clark and Reese are the only two rookies named All-Stars – they will face the U.S. Olympic team, from which Clark was excluded in what remains a hotly debated decision.
The Fever got off to a slow start, losing 10 of their first 13 games, but won four straight before dropping two of their next three. They were 8-12 on the season as of Tuesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Since scoring just seven points on 3-of-11 shooting on June 13, Clark has found her groove, scoring in double figures in a season-high six straight games. She’s also had three double-doubles in that span, and has come close to a triple-double in two of those. She’s scored 30 points twice this season, and has scored 20-plus in seven games.
Of course, the conversation around Clark has extended far beyond what she does on the court — her insane popularity has generated historic ratings and attendance, leading to speculation that her WNBA peers are jealous of her.
Wilson even claimed that Clark’s whiteness played a role in her popularity, and there were other slights against her, both directly and covertly.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark speaks to the media after the WNBA basketball team’s practice in Indianapolis, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
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Last week, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert denied the suggestion that she had been targeted, saying it appeared to be the case because of her presence in the spotlight and that her treatment on the court was similar to everyone else’s.
Clark and Wilson will face off Tuesday night in Las Vegas, and the All-Star Game will be in Phoenix on July 20.
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