Fans keep receipts after Caitlin Clark tears down WNBA’s single-season assists record. (Photo from Indiana Fever X page)

Fans reacted as Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark broke the WNBA’s single-season assists record on Friday. Fans brought out receipts to hit out at Clark’s critics, including women’s basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes, who doubted if Clark could pull it off.

The top overall pick in this year’s WNBA draft broke the league’s single-season assist record in the Fever’s 78-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana. Entering the game, Clark needed only four assists to top the previous mark of 316 set by Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun in 2023.

Caitlin Clark broke the record with her fifth assist in the second quarter against the Aces, off an inbounds pass to her favorite target Kelsey Mitchell. She finished the night with nine dimes, taking her total to 321 assists with two games remaining in the regular season.

317 assists in the (317) 🏙️🔥

Caitlin Clark broke the @WNBA record for most assists in a season in her first year in Indy. pic.twitter.com/Wzz7XaCusx

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) September 14, 2024

Fans celebrated the feat by getting back at Clark’s doubters. One fan got back at four-time WNBA champion Swoopes for laughing early on at the prospect of the Indiana rookie being the assist queen, writing:

“Sheryl Swoopes laughed at the idea of Caitlin Clark leading the league in assists. She ended up breaking the WNBA assists record.”

“Caitlin Clark lives rent free in Sheryl Swoopes head and will continue to for a VERY long time!,” another chimed in.

“Someone check on @airswoopes22, I heard she drank a fifth of vodka after Caitlin broke the record,” a fan highlighted.

“How well did that age,” another comment read.

Some fans, meanwhile, moved to underscore the special talent Caitlin Clark is.

“Funny thing is she doesn’t only lead the league but she leads everyone who has ever played in the WNBA history.. in just year 1,” a user braggingly asserted.

“‘She’s not even done yet,’ one simply put out.”

“‘And her teammates can’t catch,’ an amazed user pointed out.

Apart from her nine assists against the Aces, Caitlin Clark also had 18 points and eight rebounds in 34 minutes. Unfortunately, they were not enough to lead her team to victory as they slumped to back-to-back losses.

Caitlin Clark takes pride in establishing new assist marks

Caitlin Clark said that her passing game is something she works on and to lead the WNBA in her rookie season in dimes makes her proud.

The Indiana Fever rookie sensation spoke about the month when she set a WNBA rookie record for assists of 232, breaking the long-standing mark of 224 by Ticha Penicheiro of the now-defunct Sacramento Monarch in 1998.

Clark said of breaking the record:

“Yeah, it’s definitely cool. If you have told me that I would lead the league in assists coming into my rookie season, I would have probably told you you were lying. But I take a lot of pride in that. I want to set up my teammates first and foremost because that’s gonna help you have the most successful team…”

Check out what she said below:

Clark has continued to rewrite WNBA asssist marks, setting records for most dimes in a season with 321 and counting on Friday. For the season, she leads the league in assists, with an average of 8.4 dimes per contest.