Truth is stranger than fiction. This line comes true for Indiana Fever after Caitlin Clark graced the roster in 2024. The overall number one player lifted the team from its eight-year long spell, and propelled Fever into the playoffs. And with a swish-and-flick, Clark’s enthralling three-pointers and assists worked wonders for the team on the hardwood and established her as one of the most profound women’s basketball players. No wonder ESPN analyst Holly Rowe compared Clark to the likes of veterans like Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird.

Caitlin Clark’s 2024 rookie season was a game-changer, averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game while setting a WNBA record as the first rookie to record a triple-double. Her impact helped the Fever finish 20-20, ending a playoff drought since 2016

And with the ongoing recent discussions and probabilities surrounding player’s performances in the midst of the regular season, the WNBA General Managers were found to be quite candid in praising Clark and her outstanding rookie run with the team. Assessing her performance on the basis of her sophomore year’s preseason showdown coupled with overall performances of last year, the GMs have credited her shooting prowess, comparing her to W veteran and three-time WNBA champion, Chelsea Gray.

Reading the question surrounding the best point guard in W, national hoops analyst Rachel DeMita was quick to point out, “Now this was tied 50% to 50% Caitlyn Clark and Chelsea Gray. We have talked about this before. You have somebody like Caitlyn Clark, who was in the top five of MVP voting last season Chelsea Gray was not.”

While Clark and Gray have a 50 percent neck-to-neck tie as per the GM predictions, DeMita snubs the Aces player by recalling Clark’s MVP run.

A’ja Wilson won the 2024 MVP with 26.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, while Clark’s fourth-place finish was a historic achievement for a rookie, trailing Wilson, Napheesa Collier, and Breanna Stewart.

Despite making to the list last year, Clark was sidelined fourth in the MVP conversation. But while Clark’s name was registered in the running, Gray was nowhere to be found.

Though a reigning champion in the Las Vegas Aces, Gray accumulated an average of 8.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game in 2024. However, Gray levelled up her post-season performance with a spectacular average of 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 8 assists per game. These increased statists go on to imply that Gray is one of the highly efficient players and an exquisite asset for the league and the Aces alike.

Gray’s playoff surge, highlighted by a 2.18:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, underscores her ability to elevate teammates like A’ja Wilson. However, her regular-season stats pale in comparison to Clark’s league-leading 8.4 assists and 19.2 points per game.

Clarifying her statement towards Gray, DeMita added, “And again this is no knock to Chelsea Gray. I’m actually a huge fan of her. I love the way that she passes the ball, gets her team involved. She’s a veteran- she deserves so much respect in this league. But I don’t think by any means that she is on the same level at Caitlyn Clark in year two in the WNBA. But maybe this is a respect vote from the WNBA GMs.“

Calling out the vote simply as mark of respect, the national analyst completely dismissed all of Gray’s efforts and improved gameplay from over the years. Which, unfortunately, comes as a brutal statement against one of the finest female veterans in the industry. Despite appreciating Gray’s leadership and possession qualities, she was loud in her praise for Clark. And yes, Clark has a far mature gameplay and maturity that translates with elan on court. But does that mean that the mercy vote for Gray was mark of respect and not anything beyond that?

Gray’s value lies in her ability to orchestrate the Aces’ offense, with championship odds at +300 in May 2025, bolstered by the addition of Jewell Loyd. This reflects general managers’ recognition of her as a proven winner, providing a steadying presence that complements Clark’s more statistically prominent contributions.

Caitlin Clark ready to be crowned the 2025 MVP

“Caitlin Clark is my MVP. My very early prediction MVP from everything that I’ve seen through the preseason,” the confident analyst, Rachel DeMita said. Opposing the predictions by the GMs, who painted Napheesa Collier as the 2025 MVP, DeMita has a completely different take altogether.

Collier’s case stems from her 2024 Defensive Player of the Year award and leading the Lynx to the WNBA Finals, averaging 20.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, making her a strong GM favorite with 67% of the vote.

DeMita takes a look at Clark’s preparation and how she utilised the off-season to steady her craft before stepping on the hardwood. Talking of the Fever’s roster coupled with Clark’s physical training, the analyst added, “How she has changed her body, how she has one season already under her belt, she knows what to expect in the WNBA. She has these new pieces around her. I think a lot of fans are going to be shocked at how good she looks this season and how much of a leap she makes this season.” With Sophie Cunningham, Natasha Howard, and DeWanna Bonner in the roster, Clark can utilise from their positions in the upcoming games.

Emphasising on why Clark’s recent physical efforts make her an MVP favourite, Rachel said, “She pretty much trained every single day during the off season. She trained in Indiana. She was flying her trainers with her if she needed to travel. So she put in a lot of work this offseason, and that’s kind of the first off season that she’s gotten since going pro. So, I expect a huge season out of her. She is my favourite for MVP.“

While the Indiana Fever superstar earned numerous accolades during her rookie year in the league, not to mention the things she has done to enhance Fever’s locker room, it was no surprise when Caitlin found her name among W veterans in the running for MVP last year. And while she graced the list as a rookie, what followed came as a major disappointment for fans. Dropped to rank four on the final MVP list, the GMs have voted Collier as top MVP player with a 67 percent. However, not all hope is lost for Clark. And while the GMs are still not impressed this year, the statistics tell a completely different story.

According to the latest MVP betting odds published by BetMGM, the Indiana Fever sensation is leading with +195 odds. Yes, Caitlin is the topmost contender in the running for the MVP title, as per the website. She is closely followed by A’ja Wilson and  Collier at second and third place with +200 and +250, respectively. On the other hand, popular player Kelsey Plum stands eighth on the list with odds listed at +3500.

Meanwhile, DraftKings website also predicted Clark as an MVP. The majority of the bets were in favour of Clark to win the title. Approximately 23% bets went in her favour, followed by 5% for Collier. On the other hand, Wilson, Angel Reese, and Sabrina Ionescu were ranked three, four, and five, respectively.

With an impressive 36-foot three-pointer from beyond the arc in the preseason, and 16-point contribution against Brazil, Clark was a spectacle during the 2025 preseason. Not to forget a sweet sweep of 13 points against the Atlanta Dream. With such an impressive season beginning, fans and analysts can see how Clark is progressing towards the MVP crown this year.