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Caitlin Clark: Has the Iowa star locked up Player of the Year?

(Joseph Cress/USA TODAY NETWORK)

When Caitlin Clark launched a game-winning 3-pointer Sunday to defeat No. 2 Indiana, the Iowa star added another line to her Player of the Year résumé. With 34 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, a buzzer-beater and a celebration to match, she put an exclamation point on an incredible regular-season that included nine 30-plus point games and three triple-doubles.

Every time you look, the junior guard is doing something amazing. From her long-range shots to playmaking ability in transition, Clark is must-see TV. And there is no denying her place as one of the best players in the country. But does she have the national Player of the Year race locked up?

Her case is certainly compelling.

One look at Clark’s stats and you can see just how important she is to the No. 7 Hawkeyes. The junior guard leads her team in all major statistical categories, even blocks. She averages 27.2 points per game (second in the country), 8.2 assists (first in the country), 7.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 0.6 blocks. She’s also led her team to a 23-6 record (second in the Big Ten), and she won the Big Ten Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season.

Clark is a clear contender for POY, and the reasons why are obvious. But there are two main criticisms floating around as to why she shouldn’t take the award.

The first is that her stats are inflated because of the team around her. In relation to South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, who is surrounded by scoring weapons, or even Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes, that’s true. The other Hawkeyes aren’t capable of scoring the way the Gamecocks or Hoosiers rosters are. So yes, Clark likely wouldn’t average 27.2 points per game if she played for South Carolina or another similar team.

But I wouldn’t put too much stock in that argument. For one, it reduces Clark to a scorer and nothing else, which if you look at her stats is obviously not the case. Yes, her stats are inflated, but they also reflect just how much she impacts the game. Clark is a playmaker in every sense of the word.

Being second in the country in scoring and first in assists is no small feat. It means Clark is responsible for the majority of her team’s scoring, whether she is putting the ball in herself or finding an open teammate. That does not even take into account the possessions she creates by grabbing rebounds and pushing the ball up the court.

It’s easy to watch Clark and marvel at her logo 3-pointers or her celebratory antics. But the true beauty in the junior’s game is the way she reads the floor and the situation. She shoots from long, long range when necessary, attacks when necessary, and finds teammates in scoring position when necessary. Because she draws such intense defensive attention thanks to her scoring ability, Clark is able to create off the bounce for her teammates, and in turn, nearly everything that happens on offense for Iowa is because of the guard.

The second criticism of her game is that Clark doesn’t play defense the way other POY candidates do. But a lot of that is simply because she’s not called upon to defend at an elite level. Clark plays big minutes (34 per game) and is expected to drive the Iowa attack. The Hawkeyes would rather she do that than waste energy drawing her opponent’s toughest matchup or getting into foul trouble. She’s not a defensive juggernaut, but she doesn’t have to be.

So in the same way other players shouldn’t be penalized for having more scoring options around them, Clark shouldn’t be penalized for being on a team that doesn’t want her guarding her opponent’s No. 1 offensive weapon.

Whether or not she will take home the national POY awards remains to be seen, and it will likely come down to her and reigning POY winner Boston. Both have strong cases, and Clark’s impressive game against Indiana is just one more point to take into consideration.

Indiana Fever Shoots for Redemption Against Seattle Storm

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark waits for an inbound pass during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Fever are looking to end a two-game losing streak. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The WNBA is back in action on Tuesday night, as the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm headline a series of games that could make or break the current trajectories of several 2025 title contenders.

Seeking an especially strong Tuesday performance is the Fever, as Indiana tries to snap a two-game losing streak against the increasingly confident Storm.

"There are going to be stretches that are really good and there's going to be stretches that aren't as good," Fever guard Caitlin Clark said on Sunday, addressing her recent shooting slump.

While the Indiana and Seattle clash will lead the Tuesday charge, the night will also see young squads sizing up WNBA juggernauts as bottom-table teams look for a leg up:

  • No. 8 Indiana Fever vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, 10 PM ET (NBA TV): The Fever need a win against a Storm side that can't seem to lose, as both teams eye the postseason.
  • No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 9 Washington Mystics, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The up-and-coming Mystics will attempt to hand the Lynx a second season loss, as Minnesota star Napheesa Collier remains day-to-day with lower back stiffness.
  • No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 12 Dallas Wings, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Dream are on a tear, surging up the standings as the struggling Wings attempt to take flight.
  • No. 10 LA Sparks vs. No. 11 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET (NBA TV): The Sparks have cooled after a hot start while the Sky has yet to rev up, with both teams aiming to end a three-game losing streak on Tuesday night.

Teams across the league are hoping to make the most of every minute while also managing injury concerns and absences as the WNBA All-Star break looms.

WNBA Rookie of the Year Odds Shift as 2025 Draft Picks Heat Up

Washington Mystics rookie Sonia Citron guards Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers during a 2025 WNBA game.
Washington rookie Sonia Citron and first-year Dallas star Paige Bueckers are both off to hot starts in their WNBA careers. (Stephen Goslings/NBAE via Getty Images)

The WNBA Class of 2025 is already making its mark on the league, with first-year players stepping up and showing out while the Rookie of the Year race — and betting odds — heat up.

No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers has been just as good as advertised, with the Dallas Wings guard leading her class in both minutes played and points per game while also charting league-wide in assists per game, steals per game, and mid-range shots made.

DraftKings currently has Bueckers as the clear WNBA Rookie of the Year race frontrunner at -1,000, though the dynamic DC duo of guard Sonia Citron (+1,500) and forward Kiki Iriafen (+1,000) are quickly gaining traction.

Iriafen won May's WNBA Rookie of the Month award after a series of career-opening double-doubles, while her Washington Mystics teammate Citron has continued to execute in the clutch — most recently posting a career-high double-double performance of 27 points and 11 rebounds in last Sunday's 91-88 overtime win over Dallas.

"Not only is [Iriafen] holding her own, she's excelling," Citron told JWS earlier this month. "And seeing that is just incredible."

"Soni just does all the little things," Iriafen added. "She doesn't shortcut anything, she's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all."

International Signings Ramp Up as Soccer Teams Break for Women’s Euro 2025

San Diego Wave forward María Sánchez dribbles the ball during a 2025 NWSL match.
San Diego forward María Sánchez is transferring to Liga MX side UANL Tigres. (John Matthew Harrison/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Though the NWSL hit the pause button this week, players worldwide are still on the move, as both European and US soccer teams use the midseason break to sharpen their lineups with international signings.

The NWSL has already seen one major departure, with the San Diego Wave announcing Monday that forward María Sánchez will return to her former Liga MX club UANL Tigres after nearly five years in the NWSL, with the Wave set to receive an undisclosed transfer fee in return.

"When the opportunity came to return to Tigres, I had to do a lot of inner searching, and I ultimately decided that returning to Liga MX Femenil and Tigres specifically was the best course of action for my career," the 29-year-old dual citizen and Mexico international player said in the Wave's release.

NWSL clubs are also setting their sights on European free agents, with the Washington Spirit bringing in Juventus forward Sofia Cantore last week — the first Italian signing in league history.

Also hopping aboard the player transaction carousel is new WSL side London City, with the top-flight debutantes inking OL Lyonnes midfielder and Dutch international Daniëlle van de Donk on Friday.

Meanwhile, van de Donk's wife and club teammate Ellie Carpenter is also potentially WSL-bound, with the defender reportedly nearing a deal that would see the Australian join Chelsea FC in return for the Blues sending Canadian international Ashley Lawrence to OL Lyonnes.

For their part, OL Lyonnes picked up defender Ingrid Engen from Barcelona as a free agent last week, adding the Norwegian international after snagging French forward and PSG's all-time leading scorer Marie-Antoinette Katoto earlier this month.

With the most recent NWSL CBA abolishing traditional trade windows, expect even more international signings and roster reshufflings before the league resumes play on August 1st.

San Diego Wave Honors Alex Morgan with Jersey Retirement

San Diego Wave players applaud Alex Morgan as she exits the pitch during her final NWSL game in 2024.
Morgan won the NWSL Shield with San Diego in 2023. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

San Diego is paying tribute to one of their own, with the Wave announcing plans to retire the No. 13 jersey of NWSL and USWNT legend Alex Morgan on September 7th.

Still topping the team's all-time scoring leaderboard with 23 goals in just over two seasons with San Diego, the retired club captain will be the first-ever Wave player to receive the prestigious honor.

Morgan also led San Diego to the 2023 NWSL Shield as well as postseason appearances in the 2022 expansion club's first two seasons.

"Alex's legacy goes far beyond goals and accolades. She helped lay the foundation for this club and elevated the standard for what women's soccer is today," said Wave FC governor Lauren Leichtman in the team's Tuesday announcement.

"She made this city her home, inspired our fans and community, and helped define who we are," Leichtman continued. "Her impact will be felt for generations, and it's only fitting that her number becomes a permanent part of Wave FC history." 

Morgan joined the Southern California squad's ownership group just last month, saying "San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career."

How to attend the San Diego jersey retirement of Alex Morgan

San Diego will officially retire Morgan's No. 13 jersey during their home match against the Houston Dash at 8 PM ET on September 7th.

Tickets to the game will go on sale to the general public online at 6 PM ET on Tuesday.

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