WNBA, not just Caitlin Clark, the “true breakout star” of 2024, claims “60 Minutes” journalist

The entire WNBA — not Caitlin Clark — was the breakout star of the season, CBS “60 Minutes” journalist Jon Wertheim said on Sunday night's episode.

Wertheim explained the rise of the WNBA and spoke with the Rookie of the Year, her teammate Aliyah Boston, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert for the article, in which he called Clark “undoubtedly the league's star attraction, but not “die” only meant one thing. “

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“The real breakout star of this WNBA season is the W itself,” Wertheim said. “After a collegiate season that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago, the women's championship game outperformed the men's. W games can attract more attention than NBA games.”

“League wide, attendance increased by 48%.”

But it was Clark who set the bar this season and put together arguably the best rookie season the WNBA has ever seen. Clark didn't win MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same seasons as Candace Parker with the Los Angeles Sparks, but she rewrote the record books several times.

Clark became the first rookie in WNBA history to score at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in a playoff game when she did so in Game 2 of the playoff matchup against the Connecticut Sun. To be fair, Wertheim interviewed Clark before the playoffs began.

Regardless, she became the first rookie to record a triple-double when she played against the New York Liberty in July. She also became the first player in WNBA history to accomplish this feat against a team ranked first in the standings.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark rushes onto the court during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on September 15, 2024. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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She set a single-game assists record with 19 assists against the Dallas Wings. At the end of the season she set the season record with a total of 337 assists.

Clark set the rookie record for most 3-pointers in a single season with 122 – the second most in a single season. She also became the first player in WNBA history to record at least 25 points, 10 assists and five 3-pointers in multiple career games.

Those records are just the tip of the iceberg, not to mention she was the unanimous AP WNBA Rookie of the Year.

Ratings-wise, Clark and the Fever was must-see television.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark reacts after a three-point basket against the Minnesota Lynx in the first half in Indianapolis on September 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

FOX Sports' Michael Mulvihill reinforced that point with statistics this month. He wrote down

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The breakout star is clear, and she averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game and finished fourth in MVP voting.

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