A new book reveals why Caitlin Clark’s Rookie of the Year award looked so different than Paige Bueckers’.
The Internet spent the better part of 2024 convinced that the WNBA gave up football while celebrating Caitlin Clark’s Rookie of the Year award. And on the surface, it looked exactly that way.
Clark – who took the honors after an epic first season – received far less recognition. He got the news through a phone call from Commissioner Cathy Engelbert during practice. That was it.
Fast forward a year, and Paige Bueckers receives her 2025 Rookie of the Year award on national television, with Engelbert appearing in person, on “The Jennifer Hudson Show”.
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Naturally, fans noticed the discrepancy, and had some questions.
But according to the recently released edition of the magazine On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports by Christine Brennan, the truth is more complicated than the internet outrage suggested.
In fact, WNBA spokesman Ron Howard says the league tried to give Clark the same last name.
“We asked to come to Indy after the team’s season is over and do a press conference and/or have [NBA Entertainment] sit down with CC,” Howard said, via Brennan’s letter. “But both the team and his agent turned down the offer … It was hard to do it while the team was in Connecticut, but we asked to do something in Indianapolis later and we were turned down.”
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers compete during an inbounds play in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on April 30, 2026. (Photos by Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn)
He also added that the unit had a wide opportunity for the media to be set: “In addition to that, we had the opportunity to sit down with him on GMA but the opportunities were reduced.”
CAITLIN CLARK LOOKS ALIVE AS FEVER TOURS THROUGH NIGERIA AHEAD OF MAY 9 OPENER VS WINGS
So if you were wondering why Clark didn’t get the same amount of time as Bueckers, it’s probably because he didn’t want to. Or at least his camp didn’t.
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers drives to the basket against Atlanta Dream guard Te-Hina Paopao during the second half at College Park Center on June 24, 2025. (Photos by Chris Jones)
It’s worth noting that Clark was named ROTY when he and the Indiana Fever were in the middle of a playoff series against the Connecticut Sun. That’s not a good time for a rookie to drop everything and go on a media tour.
Bueckers, on the other hand, had his season over, as the Dallas Wings finished the season 10-34 and missed the postseason.
As a rookie, Caitlin Clark led the league in total assists (337) and 3-pointers made (122), set a single-game assist record (19), and became the first rookie to record a triple-double. (IMAGN Syndication: The Indianapolis Star)
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So Clark’s usual call was probably a little silly and a technical problem.
Clark and Bueckers will face each other on May 9, when the Fever host the Dallas Wings to open their 2026 season — a perfect fit for two players who have been linked almost as long as they have been on the team.
