WNBA History: Caitlin Clark silences critics with a legendary scoring milestone
The Fever star became the highest-scoring point guard in a single season
Caitlin Clark didn't need long to remind the WNBA that one broken rookie record does not diminish the scale of what she is building in Indiana.
Olivia Miles had just moved past Clark ’s rookie scoring total with another standout performance for the Minnesota Lynx .
Only hours later, Clark produced a milestone of her own, reaching 862 points this season and setting a new single-season scoring record for a WNBA point guard.
Clark got there after scoring 25 points against the Washington Mystics , continuing a remarkable third professional season in which she has averaged 22.7 points per game while shooting 45.1 percent from the field.
The record also highlights just how much more efficient Clark has become since her rookie campaign. She reached 862 points in 38 games. Her previous rookie total of 769 came across 40 appearances.
Miles takes one of Clark’s rookie records
The timing made the achievement even more striking. Earlier in the day, Miles entered Minnesota’s game against the Connecticut Sun tied with Clark ’s rookie scoring mark of 769 points.
She moved ahead with a second-quarter free throw and finished with 21 points in the Lynx ’s 101-89 victory, lifting her season total to 790.
“It’s special, but it means we’re more so working well as a team,” Miles said afterward. “I have great teammates around me, great vets who allow me to be me out there.”
Miles also pointed to Minnesota’s support system as a major factor in her rapid rise.
“It wouldn’t be possible without one, a coach that believes in you and then two, having teammates that have my back,” she said. “So it’s really special to obviously be able to accomplish that with such a great team and on a win as well.”
Miles has taken more than one rookie mark from Clark this season. She hit eight three-pointers against the Golden State Valkyries in June, surpassing Clark ’s rookie single-game record of seven, and became the fastest rookie to reach 350 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists.
Clark’s latest record moves conversation
Clark ’s response came in a different category entirely. Her 862 points represent the most ever by a point guard in a single WNBA season, moving her beyond comparisons with her own rookie year and into the league’s broader record book.
That gives the final two regular-season meetings between Indiana and Minnesota an added layer of intrigue. Clark and Miles are scheduled to meet in Indiana on September 22 before the teams close the season in Minneapolis two days later.
Minnesota is fighting to secure the No.1 seed, while Indiana is still trying to strengthen its playoff position. The individual storyline will be difficult to ignore.
Miles has already erased several of Clark ’s rookie records. Clark , meanwhile, is now setting marks that apply to every point guard who has played in the league.
