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Associated Press Announces Its 2024 Female Athlete Of The Year

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Dec 24, 2024 9:41 AM ET

On Tuesday morning, the Associated Press officially unveiled its pick for Female Athlete of the Year. Unsurprisingly, that title went to an athlete who has completely elevated her sport to new heights.

Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year. She was recently named TIME's Athlete of the Year, so it's not a surprise to see the Associated Press also honor her. From a production standpoint, she was sensational during her rookie season in the WNBA. The No. 1 pick averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. The Fever made the playoffs for the first time since 2016 due to her impact on the court.

Clark is the fourth women's basketball player to receive this award from the Associated Press, joining a group that includes Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo and Candace Parker.

“I grew up a fan of Candace Parker and the people who came before me and to be honored in this way, is super special and I’m thankful,” Clark told the Associated Press. “It was a great year for women’s basketball and women’s sports.”

Not only has Clark shown incredible skill on the hardwood, she's proven to be the biggest draw in women's basketball.

TV viewership was up 300 percent for the WNBA this season thanks to Clark. Every network that broadcasted a Fever game this year broke records. We're not even kidding. ABC, CBS, ION, ESPN, and ESPN2 all set new marks for most-watched WNBA game. Heck, the 2024 WNBA Draft was the most-watched one simply due to her star power.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 16: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts to making a 3 point shot against the Phoenix Mercury at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on August 16, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Clark, the all-time leading scorer in the NCAA, has the talent to be one of the greatest athletes ever. If we're being honest, she's already on track to be the most influential women's basketball player to ever grace the court.

While Clark deserves all the credit in the world for elevating the WNBA's product, she refuses to boast about it.

"A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them," she recently told TIME. "The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important."

We'll see if Clark can have an even greater impact on women's sports in 2025.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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