Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever fell back down to .500 after a 78-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Friday night. The Aces finished off the sweep of the Fever, winning all four battles of the 2024 WNBA season. But the rookie still managed to leave her mark on the game.
Just under five minutes remaining in the second quarter, Clark hit Kelsey Mitchell for a tough floater for her 317th assist of the season. In doing so, the rookie out of Iowa passed Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas (316) for the most assists in a season in WNBA history. Hours after the game, Los Angeles Sparks legend Lisa Leslie shared her appreciation for Clark’s greatness. “Caitlin Clark, you continue to amaze me!” Leslie wrote on X. “Congratulations again!! The record books are in trouble for sure.”
Clark finished the game with nine assists, giving her 321 on the season. In 2023, when Thomas initially broke the record, it took her the entire 40-game schedule to reach her number. For Clark, it only took 38. Throughout her rookie season, Clark has broken many different records. She became the first rookie in league history to record a triple-double, let alone two of them. She also holds the single-game record for most assists with 19 on July 17 against the Dallas Wings.
Leslie spent her entire professional career with the Sparks from 1997 to 2009. She helped her team win back-to-back WNBA championships in 2001 and 2002. The former USC Trojans star also won three WNBA MVP awards. In 2015, Leslie was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
