The Indiana Fever are dancing in the postseason for the first time in eight years, giving their fanbase plenty to be excited about heading into the first round of the playoffs.
Amid a watershed year for the franchise, Caitlin Clark capped off a historic rookie season leading the league in multiple offensive categories. She is the first player in WNBA history to average 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game in the regular season and is an automatic shoo-in for the Rookie of the Year award.
Clark also threw her hat in for the WNBA MVP award, finishing fourth in total balloting on Sunday. Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson won her third WNBA MVP by a unanimous vote, followed by Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, Clark and Sun forward Alyssa Thomas.
Clark was asked about placing fourth in the MVP race ahead of the Fever’s first-round playoff game against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday.
“I mean, it’s cool, but at the same time I don’t really care,” Clark told reporters. “My life is very unaffected by that. I’m just going to try to go out there and help my team, obviously our goal is to get to the playoffs, but I have a belief that we can come in here and we can win this series…I think that’s where my focus is. It’s pretty night and day from where we first started. I feel like that’s a lot and something to be proud of and to find confidence in.”
Caitlin Clark on officially getting the 4th most MVP votes: “I mean, it’s cool. But at the same time, I don’t really care.” pic.twitter.com/qM0LJR3K25
— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) September 22, 2024
Clark and the Fever started the season 1-8 but enjoyed a late surge after the Olympic break to make the playoffs. Indiana is the second team in WNBA history to clinch a postseason berth after a 1-8 or worse start, joining the 2001 Charlotte Sting who went on to reach the WNBA Finals.
The Fever have a tough road ahead of them to play for their first championship since 2012. Indiana will first look to take down the No. 3-seeded Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Caitlin Clark Brushes Off MVP Voting Results Ahead of WNBA Playoffs.
