The Big Lead

Caitlin Clark Breaks WNBA Rookie Record With Ease

By Joe Lago

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) celebrate during the first half of a game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) celebrate during the first half of a game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. / Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Caitlin Clark figures to earn many honors and accolades in her WNBA career. She will be the winner of a Rookie of the Year race with Angel Reese that's no longer close.

On Sunday, the No. 1 overall pick set a WNBA rookie record with more than a month left in her debut campaign.

In the Indiana Fever's 92-75 home win against the Seattle Storm, Clark broke Ticha Penicheiro's single-season mark for most assists by a rookie — 224 — which was set in 1998 by the Sacramento Monarchs' No. 2 overall pick.

Clark entered Sunday needing just two assists to surpass Penicheiro. The record-setting 225th assist occurred in the second half when Clark found Lexie Hull for a layup.

Penicheiro would've been at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to witness the historic moment if she wasn't "celebrating my bestie's 50th birthday." She congratulated Clark on X.

"To be congratulated by someone like her, I'm just forever thankful that she's been such a legend in our game," Clark said of Penicheiro in a postgame interview with ESPN's Holly Rowe. "It's super cool, but hopefully there's a lot more of those."

Clark set the WNBA single-game assists record before the Paris Olympics break, dishing out 19 in a loss against the Dallas Wings. With her nine assists on Sunday, she is 85 away from breaking Alyssa Thomas' single-season mark of 316 with 12 games left in the regular season.

If she plays every game and maintains her season average of 8.3 per game, Clark will eclipse Thomas' assists record, too.