“She’s Not Built for Physicality of WNBA,” those were the University of Connecticut Huskies Geno Auriemma’s words when Caitlin Clark had initially stepped into the W. Not only Auriemma but a host of her critics felt that Clark wouldn’t be able to match up to the physicality in the WNBA. However, Clark proved everyone wrong. Firstly, she became the maiden rookie to score a triple-double, then she topped that up with a record 19 assists. If that wasn’t enough, Clark also broke Ticha Penicheiro’s record of making the most assists by a WNBA rookie. And with her latest feat, the 22-year-old has stepped into the territory of her rival Angel Reese.

As per Stat Mamba, Clark is only one of the three guards to record 10/10+ doubles during a WNBA season. The other two are Courtney Vandersloot and Chelsea Gray. Clark’s tryst with double-doubles started with her game against the Los Angeles Sparks in May when she scored 11 points and 10 rebounds. It then continued sometimes with rebounds but mostly with assists and her points.

One of her best streaks came in July month against the Phoenix Mercury when she had 15 points and 12 assists and continued on for 2 more games before hitting a triple-double and recording another 2 double-doubles post that. Meanwhile, her singular moment of glory in terms of double-double was when she scored 24 points and dished out 19 assists against the Dallas Wings. And this has been recorded just 2 more times by guards in the 27 years of the WNBA.

While Chelsea Gray scored a franchise-best 10 points-assists double-doubles in 2023 for the Las Vegas Aces, Courtney Vandersloot hit 13 double-doubles including those from the post-season run of the Chicago Sky in 2021. Therefore, both the guards proved that they could dominate the league in points and assists alternating between the role of a prime scorer and that of a facilitator. Meanwhile, as for the WNBA record of most double-doubles, a forward has that record.

Alyssa Thomas has the most double-doubles record in a single WNBA season

The 2023 was a special season for the Connecticut Sun who made it to the semi-finals, defeating the Minnesota Lynx in the First Round. Their exemplary campaign was propelled by their forward Alyssa Thomas. Thomas started her double-double streak from the first game onwards against the Indiana Fever and went ahead to record double-doubles in her first three games – a mark that later touched a ceiling of 28 double-doubles in 2023.

It was the highest number of double-doubles scored by any player in the WNBA history in a single season. And thus Thomas etched her name in glory.

Even though Clark is a guard, credit goes to her for having so many double-doubles in this season. And hopefully with coming games, that number will only go up as she breaks Vandersloot’s record of most double-doubles in a single season by a guard in the W.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.