In a season sizzling with rookie talent, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are sparking a fierce showdown for the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award. Dawn Staley, the oracle of all things basketball, just dropped her two cents on the electrifying contest between these two phenoms.
The Indiana Fever’s dynamo, Caitlin Clark, and the Chicago Sky’s powerhouse, Angel Reese, are both tearing it up on the court. Each has a compelling case for snagging that shiny ROY trophy. But according to Staley, there’s a clear leader in this dance-off.
“Right now — at this very moment — it’s Angel. No contest,” Staley spilled to TMZ Sports, probably while sipping her morning coffee.
Staley’s opinion isn’t just hot air. She’s a former first-round pick, a six-time All-Star, and has played in over 250 WNBA games. Now, she’s one of the most revered coaches in the game, with a knack for spotting top-tier talent quicker than you can say “buzzer-beater.”
The South Carolina coach pointed out Reese’s jaw-dropping double-double streak as the ace up her sleeve. Reese has clocked an impressive 15 consecutive double-doubles, smashing Candace Parker’s previous record of 12 from the 2009-2010 seasons into smithereens.
Reese’s stats are nothing short of jaw-dropping: averaging 13.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 steals over 22 games. Yet, Staley admits the race is still wide open, with Clark hot on Reese’s heels.
“Caitlin is coming,” Staley warned, perhaps envisioning a dramatic photo finish.
Clark, the top pick in the WNBA draft, is putting on a show of her own. Averaging 16.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, she made history as the first rookie to notch a triple-double: 19 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists against the New York Liberty on July 6. Talk about making an entrance!
Both rookies are not only lighting up the stat sheets but also have their teams in the playoff mix. The Indiana Fever are clinging to seventh place with a 10-14 record, while the Chicago Sky are right behind them at 9-13. It’s a tightrope walk to the playoffs, and every game counts.
Staley threw in another nugget that could tilt the scales in this nail-biter of a ROY race:
“Whichever team makes the playoffs, that’s our Rookie of the Year,” she declared, adding a sprinkle of suspense to an already thrilling saga.
With both Reese and Clark propelling their squads toward postseason glory, the race for Rookie of the Year is shaping up to be as unpredictable as a last-second three-pointer. The WNBA playoffs tip off on September 22, and until then, we’re all just here for the ride, popcorn in hand.
