Caitlin Clark’s best performance as a pro resets WNBA Rookie of the Year conversation

Are we going to do that thing where we reevaluate Caitlin Clark's rookie season on a game-by-game basis, drawing conclusions like "she's overrated" or "she's underrated" at every turn?

Pretty much. It's just that sometimes, it'll be warranted.

Clark is a polarizing figure. Every bad performance will fuel her haters while every good performance will prove her greatness to her fans.

Well, Friday night's performance certainly wasn't bad. It wasn't good either. It was great.

Coming off the worst performance of her career, Clark produced the best, shining with a career-high 30 points with seven 3-pointers. That ties the rookie record for shots beyond the arc. She grabbed eight rebounds, dished six assists, snatched four steals. She is the youngest player in WNBA history to produce a stat line like that, per StatMamba, and only the second rookie next to Sabrina Ionescu, per the WNBA.

It wasn't just about Friday night. She's played 12 games in the WNBA and is now the fastest player in league history to put up more than 200 points and more than 50 assists.

The other big number to mention? The sellout crowd of 20,333 in Washington was the largest in the WNBA since 2007.

Frankly, it doesn't matter that the Mystics have yet to win a game this season. Clark put her team on her back and proved she's a difference-maker.

Caitlin Clark makes her Rookie of the Year statement

The outing had some thinking about ESPN's rookie rankings, which had Clark all the way down at No. 6.

The current rookie class has some impressive players and you'd be foolish to argue Cameron Brink shouldn't be the favorite there. She's top three in the league in blocks and has been the most consistent rookie from Day 1. Reese is very nearly averaging a double-double with 11.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

Clark should be right there with them though. She's third in assists with 6.4 per game. She's leading all rookies in scoring.

It's far too early to say whether Clark should be the Rookie of the Year. She needs to find more consistency and efficiency. But there's no question when it comes to impact on the floor, she's one of the contenders.