Who did Megan Rapinoe choose as the winner of the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Caitlin Clark or Angel Reese? The former USWNT star and Sue Bird share their surprising consensus.
When it comes to the WNBA Rookie of the Year debate, the rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese is as spicy as hot sauce on a snow cone. The sports world, celebrities, and everyone with a Twitter handle have chosen their side, and now, soccer legend Megan Rapinoe has jumped into the fray with her unfiltered opinion.
Remember that NCAA final where Reese and her LSU squad took the title from Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes? Yeah, Clark probably still wakes up in a cold sweat from that one. Fast forward to 2024, and both stars have taken their rivalry to the professional court. Clark was snatched up as the first pick by the Indiana Fever, while Reese landed with the Chicago Sky as the seventh pick. So far, they’ve clashed three times in the WNBA, with Clark’s Fever taking the lead 2-1.
Enter Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird, who decided it was time to weigh in on this heated debate. Spoiler alert: They agree, which is almost as shocking as a unicorn sighting.
Rapinoe’s No-Holds-Barred Choice
During a recent panel, Rapinoe didn’t mince words about her Rookie of the Year pick. “Caitlin Clark is leading in all the categories. Assists, turnovers, points—don’t roast her, come on, she’s got it!” she quipped, channeling her inner stand-up comic. She praised Clark and her Fever teammate Aliyah Boston, noting how they’ve “really figured it out.” But don’t worry, Angel Reese fans, she didn’t leave your girl out. “Angel is having an amazing season, obviously breaking the double-double record,” Rapinoe added, sprinkling a little sugar on that roast.
Bird’s Take: All About the Eye Test
Sue Bird, ever the voice of reason, agreed with Rapinoe but had her own angle. “For Rookie of the Year, I don’t really do the stat comparison,” she said, probably while twirling a basketball on her finger. “Yeah, it can help inform things when it’s tight for sure. I don’t do the [team] record. I just do the eye test, and to me, she [Clark] is rookie of the year.”
Clark Leads the Pack, but Reese Isn’t Far Behind
Pundits, analysts, and probably your basketball-loving neighbor mostly side with Rapinoe and Bird. Clark’s influence on the Fever’s resurgence and her jaw-dropping stats make her the front-runner. But Reese is nipping at her heels, bringing the heat with her ferocious rebounding and scoring acumen. It’s like a classic superhero showdown: Batman vs. Superman, only with more layups and fewer capes.
The Wildcards
Don’t count out the dark horses, though. Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx, Kamilla Cardoso from Reese’s own Chicago Sky, Boston in Indiana, and Rickea Jackson with the Los Angeles Sparks could all pull a fast one come award time. Stay tuned for what promises to be an epic September reveal.
So, grab your popcorn and prepare for more twists and turns than a roller coaster. This Rookie of the Year race is far from over, and if Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird have taught us anything, it’s that nothing is ever set in stone—especially not in the world of sports.
Stay tuned, WNBA fans. This one’s going down to the wire!
