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In an unprecedented rookie season, Caitlin Clark exploded onto the WNBA scene, forcing eyes to the women's league as her personal brand soared. But what drove the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year's popularity was her play on the floor.
Not only did Caitlin Clark live up to the immense expectations of being the No. 1 overall pick in her draft class, but she exceeded all reasonable expectations in a record-breaking rookie campaign. Clark was rewarded with hardware in year one, taking home the ROTY, first-team All-WNBA and All-Star honors.
Caitlin Clark also made a compelling case for the Most Valuable Player award, leading the Indiana Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, ending a seven-year playoff drought. She eventually finished fourth in the MVP voting, behind A'ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.
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Her historic rookie campaign leaves reason to believe that she could be right back in the MVP conversation next season. Building on all-time rookie numbers, along with an improved team record could see Clark as an MVP candidate in 2025.
Another aspect hindering her MVP prospects last season was the performance of A'ja Wilson, who set a single-season WNBA scoring record with the first 1,000-point season in league history. Clark is almost certain to take another step forward in her development in 2025, making her a safe pick to win the MVP award next season.
Voter fatigue could also benefit Clark in next season's MVP race, as Wilson has taken home the award in three of the last five seasons.
Caitlin Clark near top of odds rankings for 2025 WNBA MVP race
Entering the offseason ahead of the 2025 season, Caitlin Clark is among the favorites to win next season's MVP award. According to VegasInsider, Clark enters the offseason with the second-best odds to win the award next season, ranking just behind the reigning MVP A'ja Wilson.
Clark (+250) is just shy of Wilson (+200) in the rankings, but both are ahead of Napheesa Collier (+500), Breanna Stewart (+700) and Sabrina Ionescu (+2000). Caitlin Clark is the youngest player in the top five of the odds rankings, with a massive lead over draft-class rival, Angel Reese (+6000) of the Chicago Sky.
In her first season, Clark broke the WNBA's single-season assist record apart from re-writing the rookie record books. In 40 games, she averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds, shooting 41.7% from the field and 34.4% from 3-point range. As she builds on those numbers, Clark's MVP odds are likely to increase during the 2025 season.
