Caitlin Clark sets WNBA’s single-game assist record with 19 in loss to Wings

Caitlin Clark’s brilliant rookie season continued on Wednesday night, when she set the WNBA’s all-time single-game assist record with 19 in the Indiana Fever’s 101-93 loss to the Dallas Wings. She finished with 24 points, six rebounds and 19 assists in defeat, which also gave her the first 20-point, five-rebound, 15-assist game in WNBA history. 

“She’s gonna say [the record] means nothing,” Aliyah Boston said. “But I think that’s pretty cool.”

Clark’s career-high in assists coming into the game was 13, which she had done four times. Early on, it became clear that she had a chance to put up a big number against a Wings team that struggles on defense and likes to run up and down. That’s precisely what happened, as Clark matched her career-high by the third quarter. 

Late in the fourth, she had already bested her own personal mark, and Ticha Penicheiro’s single-game rookie record of 16 was next in her sights, with Courtney Vandersloot’s all-time single-game record of 18 off in the distance. She cruised past both of them in rapid succession. In a two-minute playmaking binge, Clark assisted on four consecutive Fever baskets to get to 19 on the night. 

“Ninteen assists is incredible,” Fever coach Christie Sides said. “That’s incredible.”

The record-breaker came with two minutes to play when Kelsey Mitchell hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 88-88. There were multiple opportunities for Clark to get to 20 assists on the night, but it was not to be as the Wings pulled away down the stretch with a 13-5 run. 

Ironically, Clark’s best pass of the night didn’t even result in an assist. That was a nasty behind-the-back feed to Aliyah Boston in the paint that led to two free throws. 

“I just try to set my teammates up for success,” Clark said. “I think at times I can almost over pass, and there probably could have been a few times where instead of passing that leads to a turnover I can probably shoot the ball. But especially with AB, I’m just looking to set her up so much. My eyes are always on our post players… and then kinda look out from there.”

In addition to the single-game record, Clark also broke the Fever’s single-season assist record on Wednesday. It took her just 26 games to surpass Erica Wheeler’s mark of 201 assists. For the season, Clark now has 213 assists and is closing in on Ticha Penicheiro’s single-season rookie record of 225, which has stood since 1998. The all-time single-season assist record is 316 by Alyssa Thomas last season. If Clark stays healthy and maintains her current pace, she will break that mark. 

On a per-game basis, Clark is up to 8.2 assists, which leads the league and would be the highest assist average by a rookie in league history. Vandersloot has the per-game record of 10, which she set in the COVID-19-shortened season in 2020.