Fever's Caitlin Clark Wins WNBA Rookie of the Month for May; Averaged 17.6 PPG

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has endured a tumultuous start to her WNBA career, but she continued performing at a high level and was rewarded for her efforts.

The WNBA announced on Monday that Clark was named Rookie of the Month after averaging 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in May.

Clark was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Fever. Despite her individual brilliance, Indiana has struggled to start the season and sits in second-to-last place in the standings with a 2-9 record. The team is allowing a league-high 90.5 points per game while scoring 77.4, marking a league-worst minus-13.1-point differential.

Clark still has areas to improve, most notably her efficiency and ball security. She's averaging a league-high 5.4 turnovers per game and shooting just 35.7 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from beyond the arc. The former Iowa star has also struggled to adjust to the physicality of the professional level.

The WNBA is more popular than it has ever been, which has brought more pundits weighing in on the league. Clark's arrival has fueled some intense debates about her impact on the league's rise in popularity. ESPN's Pat McAfee apologized for making controversial comments about Clark on Monday while trying to make a point that she deserves credit for more people paying attention to the league.

While Clark has undoubtedly been a part of the WNBA's increasing fandom, the league's viewership increased by 21 percent in 2023. There are also other talented rookies like Cameron Brink and Angel Reese who have made instant impacts on their respective teams.

Clark will be back in action when Indiana faces the Washington Mystics on Friday.