Luka Doncic sends heartwarming message to Caitlin Clark for Rookie of the Year

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic welcomed Caitlin Clark to the club’s Rookie of the Year roster on Friday with a heartfelt message. Doncic won the NBA Rookie of the Year award during the 2018-19 season with the Mavs. Clark, meanwhile, was recently announced as the 2024 recipient of the WNBA Rookie of the Year award.

Video via Dallas Mavericks on X, formerly Twitter.

“Caitlin, congratulations on an incredible season,” Doncic said. “Rookie of the Year is a great honor. You deserve it. Congratulations.”

Luka Doncic, Caitlin Clark’s rookie seasons

Luka Doncic averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per outing en route to winning the 2018-19 NBA Rookie of the Year. Surprisingly, he was not selected to the NBA All-Star team that season. Doncic has since made five straight All-Star teams.

Caitlin Clark was selected to the 2024 WNBA All-Star team after averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game. Clark, who is known for her unlimited range beyond the arc, shot 34.4 percent from deep while leading the Indiana Fever to the playoffs.

The Rookie of the Year award has been the highlight of some NBA and WNBA winners’ careers. However, other winners of the award leave a historic legacy. Luka is undoubtedly on a legendary path, having already led the Mavericks to two Western Conference Finals and an NBA Finals appearance at just 25 years old. Clark also has an incredibly high ceiling as she is coming off one of the best rookie seasons in WNBA history.

Luka Doncic is arguably the best player in the NBA today. He was snubbed from his first MVP last season, but perhaps he will win the award for the 2024-25 campaign. Doncic is currently dealing with an injury, but if he can stay healthy for most of the season, he will be in the MVP conversation.

Caitlin Clark could one day win her own MVP award. In fact, Clark is among the early favorites for the 2025 award after finishing fourth in MVP voting this season.