A'ja Wilson and debutant Caitlin Clark break unprecedented records in the WNBA
In the final minutes of the game against the Connecticut Sun, Wilson secured the single-season scoring record by sinking a midrange jumper. The excited crowd at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas showered the two-time MVP with a thunderous ovation, displaying signs with "1,000" and "THE GOAT" written on them. The Aces eventually emerged victorious with a score of 84-71.
Meanwhile, Clark continued toraise the WNBA rookie scoring record during her team's triumph against the Dallas Wings, finishing the contest with an impressive 35 points and a career-high. She surpassed the 744-point record set by Hall of Famer Seimone Augustus in 2006.
This remarkable achievement is just one of Clark's many accomplishments in her stellar rookie season. She previously set the WNBA’s single-season assists record, broke the single-game assist record with 19 against the Dallas Wings, established the rookie assists record, and became the first rookie to record a triple-double. She also holds the most three-pointers made by a rookie in league history.
Wilson's teammates acknowledged her accomplishment by overwhelmingly celebrating and embracing her upon her substitution.
"My teammates were just like ‘all right c’mon,’" Wilson said. "If anyone is going to let me know anything - my teammates are going to make sure I know exactly what’s going on. It was fun. I am glad I could finally get it."
Wilson expressed gratitude towards the fans for their unwavering support, acknowledging that being a part of the Aces and their passionate fan base was truly "incredible."
"It's incredible," Wilson said. "It kind of hit me when I saw literally everyone stand up when I got the basketball. I was like ‘Whoa, whoa ... wait what? This is pressure.’ You got to love fans like that. Fans that are really into the game are the best ones."
Wilson couldn't believe that she was the first player in league history to reach 1,000 points in a single season, seeing it as "surreal."
"There’s some buckets in this league,” Wilson said. “It was pretty surreal but it was one of those things that I did not understand it was in reach. It didn’t really hit me until the second half when I was like ‘oh no, this is doable.’ ... Like now to live in it, I’m living my dream and so I’m so grateful to be able to say I’m here and now, I know someone is going to crush it soon and going to be 2,000 points in a season so I am going to hold onto it now while I got it.”
Last week, Wilson broke the league record for most points scored in a WNBA season, surpassing the previous record of 939 points set by the Seattle Storm's Jewell Loyd in 2021.
Clark was thrilled to break Augustus' record, as it represented a "full circle" moment for her. She fondly recalled meeting and admiring Augustus during her first WNBA game.
"When I went to my first WNBA game, Seimone, I think, was the first player who I ever met when I was courtside watching them warming up," Clark said.
“... It comes full circle, for sure. I remember I got my picture with her on my dad’s little phone,” she said. “I was always a fan of her game and the way she could shoot the ball and score the ball. Like I said, definitely full circle.”
Clark's team, the Fever, clinched their first playoff berth since 2016 following their win over the Dallas Wings. They have one game remaining in the regular season, facing the Washington Mystics on Thursday.
The Aces also improved to 25-13 and have two games remaining in the regular season. Wilson will have an opportunity to further add to her impressive point total in the upcoming game against the Storm in Seattle on Tuesday.
Wilson's achievement in breaking the single-season scoring record has sparked a lot of interest in women's basketball, inspiring more fans to follow and support the sport.
Clark's historic season has been a testament to the growing talent in the WNBA, making it an exciting time for both the league and its devoted fans.
