Caitlin Clark Has Clear WNBA MVP Case Against A'ja Wilson
Not acknowledging what's readily apparent is now akin to denial or delusion. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is not just easily the Rookie of the Year, but should also be a shoo-in for first-team All-WNBA.
Clark has clearly been the best guard in the league and it is only natural her name be thrown into the MVP conversation. Because she has earned it. Not with her hype, but with her play.
That takes nothing away from A'ja Wilson, who has been dominant for the Las Vegas Aces. A'ja has been the runaway MVP favorite all season for a reason. However, that doesn't mean Caitlin doesn't have a case.
Let's start with her team's turnaround. The Fever were 13-27 a year ago and wound up with the number one pick in the draft. They are 18-16 today, already clinched a playoff berth, and have posted a record of 7-1 since play resumed out of the Olympics break. That's with essentially the same roster as last season, aside from Clark's addition.
Then there's the eye test. Clark is a highlight machine, despite seeing unprecedented defensive attention on the perimeter. The Los Angeles Sparks blitzed her on nearly every possession on Wednesday in an attempt to get the ball out of her hands.
Clark requires the defense to be extended out to 30-plus feet, as she's hitting on over 37% of shots from 30-34 feet on over 40 attempts.
The problem for every defense is that she's also a spectacular playmaker. Clark leads the league in assists and is tracking to easily beat the all-time mark for a season, which is making all of her teammates better. Everyone on Indiana is eating as the team has had the league's best offense since July 1.
Caitlin is also a true threat to drive and finish herself. She's making 63.6% of her attempts within five feet, which is on par with many of the best bigs in the W. In fact, Clark is hitting 2-point shots at an elite clip and is shooting better than A'ja Wilson from inside the arc.
Clark's points also are unassisted more often than any other player in the league; which means she's creating more for herself and more for others than anyone else. Hence why she is producing more points per game on average than any player in WNBA history.
Of course, all this can't be argued without the eventual comparison with Wilson, who has the decisive edge when it comes to defense and rebounding. Though it is worth noting Caitlin is averaging more rebounds and blocks than any guard in the W.
Wilson is having a historic season herself, but she is attempting five more shots per contest than Clark. She's also attempting three more free throws per game. So it's easy to see where the disparity in scoring comes from.
A'ja is also flanked by three other members of Team USA and a standout from Spain's Olympic team. So while she may be pacing the Aces, we're still talking about a roster that won back-to-back WNBA championships and is only two spots above the Fever in the standings.
And while the sample size is small, Las Vegas actually has a better Net Rating in the 194 minutes Wilson has been on the bench than they do when she is on the court. Meaning they haven't exactly fallen apart with her off the floor.
Regardless, A'ja still has a clear MVP argument, with her consistent excellence being her biggest separator.
However, I'm not sure why anyone should be hesitant to say Clark has entered into the discussion.
Wilson and Clark are perhaps the WNBA's two most valuable players, and their head-to-head matchups on September 11 and September 13 are must-see showdowns.
ROBIN LUNDBERG
Robin Lundberg is a media veteran and hoops head who has spent the bulk of his career with iconic brands like Sports Illustrated and ESPN. His insights have also been featured on platforms such as Fox and CNN and he can currently be heard hosting shows for Sirius XM and on his burgeoning YouTube show. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak on SI!