Despite all the records Caitlin Clark broke during her rookie season, it wasn't enough for voters to crown her as the league MVP. It would've been just the second time in league history that a player would be crowned WNBA Rookie of the Year (ROY) and MVP in the same season. But since A'ja Wilson had a season for the ages as well, that accolade will still belong to one person: Candace Parker.

How did Candace Parker win WNBA ROY and MVP?

Parker achieved this rare feat in 2008. As the No. 1 overall pick by the Los Angeles Sparks, expectations were high for Parker. She led the Tennessee Volunteers to two consecutive National championships and was selected to the 2008 women's Olympic team.

From her very first game, it was evident that Paker was on course to do something special. She recorded 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, breaking Cynthia Cooper's record for most points scored by a WNBA rookie in her debut. A week after, Parker made more history by becoming the first player to post a 5×5 stat line. She finished with 16 points, 16 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 assists, and 5 steals — a feat no other WNBA player has accomplished to this day.

As the season went by, Parker made more history. This time, she became the first player in league history to dunk more than once in the same season. Once the regular season commenced, not only were the Sparks back in the playoffs, but Parker was also a huge reason why. She averaged 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game despite being on a loaded frontcourt that had Lisa Leslie and DeLisha Milton-Jones.

Was Parker a runaway winner for MVP and ROY?

Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker (3) is introduced before the game against the Phoenix Mercury at the Staples Center.
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images
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Everyone knew Parker clinched the Rookie of the Year award the moment she recorded a 30-point double-double in her debut. The only question was whether she could win MVP. In the end, Parker amassed 276.79 voting points, which was 34.71 points more than Lindsay Whalen who came in second place at 242.08.

To put this into perspective, even in the NBA, only two players have achieved such a feat. Wilt Chamberlain did it in the 1959- 60 season and Wes Unseld during the 1968-69 campaign. Parker’s historic year laid the groundwork for the next generation of female basketball players.

While legends like Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird have cemented their legacies by racking championship titles and playing over 20 seasons, Parker made her mark by continually rewriting the WNBA history books over her 16-year career.

Today, just about every WNBA team needs a dynamic forward to be successful. The New York Liberty has Breanna Stewart, the Minnesota Lynx have Napheesa Collier, and of course, the Las Vegas Aces have A'ja Wilson.

Parker’s rookie season was more than just a statistical anomaly. It signaled the start of a new chapter in WNBA history that set the standard for the next generation.