Hawkeyes in the WNBA: Olympic Break update
It’s hard to believe, but the WNBA regular season is already over 60% complete. Teams will now take nearly a month break for the Olympics in Paris, with games getting back underway from August 15-17. When they return from the Olympic break, all three former Hawkeyes in the WNBA will be trying to solidify their spot in the WNBA Playoffs.
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever currently sit as the seventh seed in the playoffs at 11-15 overall, with a three-game lead over the ninth-place Atlanta Dream. Last season, the first year with 40 regular season games, the Chicago Sky made the playoffs with an 18-22 record. If the Fever are able to finish over .500 in their last 14 regular season games, they will make the playoffs.
As for Kate Martin, Megan Gustafson and the Las Vegas Aces, they got off to a slow start, but have won 11 of their last 14 games to get things back on track. The Aces are 16-8 overall and sit just a half game behind Minnesota and Seattle for third place in the league. DraftKings still has Las Vegas as the favorite to three-peat (+160), with a slight edge over the New York Liberty (+170).
Indiana Fever PG Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark is well on her way to winning WNBA Rookie of the Year. Clark is currently averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game. She is on track to shatter the rookie assist record, needing just 13 more to pass Ticha Penicheiro who set the record back in 1998 for Sacramento. Clark is also on track to put up the second-most points in a rookie season.
Recently, Caitlin has been on a massive hot streak in the assist department, averaging 11.9 assists per game over the last nine games. Over that stretch she has put up 10+ assists in seven games, including a WNBA record 19 assists against the Dallas Wings in their last game.
Caitlin is one of just four players in WNBA history and the first rookie to record 200+ rebounds and 200+ assists in a season. Although she has played just 26 career games, Caitlin is already has the 14th most double-doubles with points and assists (7). She also has more 20-point games (10) than all other rookies combined.
DraftKings currently only lists two players on their site for WNBA Rookie of the Year with Caitlin as the heavy, heavy favorite at -1800. Angel Reese is the other one on the board and she sits at +800.
Up Next: at Phoenix Mercury on August 16th (6:30pm CT)
Las Vegas Aces G Kate Martin
The story of Kate Martin in the WNBA has been a really fun one to watch unfold. First, she didn’t know if she was going to get drafted, then she didn’t know if she was going to make the Aces roster and then, she earned minutes in the rotation.
Martin as appeared in 23 games with one start, averaging 3.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. She has stood out from behind the arc, where she has knocked down 21 of her 53 (39.6%) three-point attempts, including seven games with multiple made threes. In her lone start back on June 9th, Kate put up a career-high 13 points, four rebounds and three assists.
In the Aces final game before the Olympic break, Kate went down with what appeared to be a right ankle injury after just 2:19 on the floor against Chicago. Her father, Matt Martin, revealed to Des Moines’ KCCI that Kate suffered a bruised achilles tendon. She will get some time to rest and recover, as Las Vegas does not play for four weeks.
Up Next: vs New York Liberty on August 17th (3:00pm CT)
Las Vegas Aces F Megan Gustafson
Teaming up with her former Hawkeye teammate Kate Martin, Megan Gustafson has seen varying minutes on the floor in her first season with the Aces. She has appeared in 22 games, averaging 8.9 minutes per game. While Gustafson is averaging just 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game, she has had a couple of notable performances. Megan put up 11 points and three rebounds against Minnesota on June 11th, while she recently put up nine points and six rebounds in a win over Washington back on the 4th of July.
Up Next: vs New York Liberty on August 17th (3:00pm CT)
