Caitlin Clark still miles away from WNBA rival after Kelsey Plum's MVP declaration
Caitlin Clark was not named MVP despite an impressive debut WNBA season.
Las Vegas Aces sensation Kelsey Plum suggested that it would spark "conspiracy theories" if team-mate A'ja Wilson was not the unanimous MVP this season.
Wilson bagged the WNBA MVP for 2024, delivering a jaw-dropping average of 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.58 blocked shots, and 1.79 steals over an average of 34.4 minutes across 38 matches, topping the league charts for points and blocks and racking up personal bests in five key areas.
Wilson, clinching her third MVP title following successes in 2020 and 2022, becomes only the fourth player to achieve such a feat in the WNBA's history, and notably, she's the first unanimous winner since the legendary Cynthia Cooper with the Houston Comets in 1997.
While Indiana Fever prodigy Caitlin Clark was originally tipped for MVP honours, she eventually took the Rookie of the Year award as there emerged "only one clear winner" in the eyes of Plum, who lavished praise on her extraordinary colleague.
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Plum pulled no punches when speaking to SB Nation about her high-calibre teammate: "If she's not the unanimous MVP, I have conspiracy theories. I mean, I really will [have conspiracy theories], you know? I don't even know who else you put in the conversation, to be honest."
It's clear that Plum's bold words were meant to underscore Wilson's dazzling excellence rather than diminish Clark, despite Plum previously drawing some flak following a controversial mid-match interview when the Aces clashed with the Fever in the regular roster.
In a thrilling encounter back in September, the Aces clinched a narrow 78-74 victory over the Fever, managing to restrict Indiana to a mere 13 points in the opening quarter. Plum was quizzed at half-time about their seemingly effortless dominance over the Fever and particularly Clark.
"I don't know. Come back to me later," was Plum's initial, nonchalant reply. As the game progressed and the Fever attempted a resurgence, Plum was probed again on how they managed to halt Indiana's momentum.
Her response was simple: "I don't know, we have good players."
Plum's humorous take was meant to underscore the Aces' talent, yet some fans interpreted her remarks as a slight against Clark, insinuating she wasn't up to par. Despite the ensuing social media frenzy, Plum appeared unfazed in her postgame interview.
"I mean, I thought we did a great job as a team, but Kelsey Mitchell was cooking," Plum admitted. "She had a couple on me as well, so I didn't want to say anything stupid. So I just said come back to me.
"I don't even have social media on my phone. No offense but, like, we have good players. I would hope so. Not disrespectful. We have competitors - pick one. That's what I meant. People these days don't say the truth."
