Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic congratulates Caitlin Clark for winning ROTY: "It is a big honor"
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic on Friday congratulated Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark on winning the 2024 Rookie of the Year award. The WNBA announced Clark as the Rookie of the Year on Thursday, with the 22-year-old receiving 66 out of 67 votes. Clark narrowly missed a unanimous decision, as one voter chose Chicago Sky star Angel Reese instead.
In a video shared by the Mavericks on their official X (formerly Twitter) account, five-time NBA All-Star Luka Doncic, who won the 2019 NBA Rookie of the Year award, delivered a heartfelt congratulatory message.
"Caitlin, congratulations on an amazing season. Rookie of the Year is a big honor. You deserve it," said Doncic.
In addition to Luka Doncic, other NBA stars also congratulated Caitlin Clark on winning the Rookie of the Year award. In a video posted by the Indiana Pacers, Myles Turner, Obi Toppin, and Tyrese Haliburton expressed their admiration and appreciation for the Fever star's accomplishment.
Caitlin Clark had an outstanding rookie season, breaking numerous records while leading the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance in eight years. She topped the league in assists, made the most three-pointers, became the first rookie to record a triple-double, and set the record for most assists in a single game, among other achievements.
Talking about her rookie season, Clark averaged 19.2 points after playing all the 40 regular season games for the Fever. She also averaged 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game.
ALSO READ: Watch: Caitlin Clark brings out goofy side during WNBA ROTY award photoshoot
Luka Doncic nursing a left calf injury
Luka Doncic is recovering from a left calf injury sustained during the Dallas Mavericks' training camp in Las Vegas. He is expected to miss at least two preseason games and will be reevaluated after a week.
There is no major concern regarding Doncic's fitness and the five-time All-Star is anticipated to lead the team in their season opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 24.
Doncic is set to enter his seventh NBA season after delivering his best performance yet last year. The Slovenian superstar led the league in scoring, averaging 33.9 points over 70 games, along with 9.2 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game.
Thanks to his heroic efforts, the Mavericks reached the NBA Finals but fell short, losing to the Boston Celtics in five games.