Caitlin Clark may have been crowned the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year (ROTY), but when it comes to Instagram followers, she’s still playing catch-up with her rival, Angel Reese. As Clark basked in the glory of a standout rookie season with the Indiana Fever, breaking records and leaving defenders in her dust, it turns out Reese has been busy stacking up her own numbers—online.
Clark recently hit a cool 3 million followers on Instagram, which is no small feat. Vanshay Murdok, ever the hype man, took to X (formerly known as Twitter for those still stuck in 2022) to remind the world of Clark’s off-court achievement. But before anyone could throw a party, reality kicked in: Reese is sitting pretty with a whopping 4.3 million followers. Apparently, the social media game is one race Clark isn’t winning—yet.
The Social Media Scoreboard: Reese Still Winning
Angel Reese, the Chicago Sky rookie sensation, is comfortably ahead in the Instagram battle, even though she’s been sidelined with a season-ending wrist injury. Not only did she blow past Clark’s follower count months ago, but she also graciously thanked her fans (like a true social media queen) after hitting the 4 million mark. She even teased a mysterious “big announcement.” If only mystery announcements counted towards the ROTY award.
While Reese’s social media dominance is clear, Clark’s focus has been elsewhere—like winning games and dominating the hardwood. Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things, but hey, who doesn’t love a little social media competition?
ROTY: A One-Sided Affair?
When it comes to actual basketball, though, Clark left no room for debate. The ROTY race was as one-sided as a game of H-O-R-S-E where your opponent can’t make a layup. Clark received 66 out of 67 votes, with the lone dissenter being—you guessed it—Angel Reese. Talk about keeping the rivalry alive.
Clark’s rookie season was nothing short of spectacular. She led the league in assists, broke records, and became the only rookie to score a triple-double (and she did it twice). Meanwhile, Reese’s strong start turned into a bittersweet season after her wrist injury sidelined her just as she was turning into a double-double machine. She still finished as the league leader in rebounds, which is a nice consolation prize—if you like stats that don’t come with trophies.
What’s Next for These Rival Rookies?
Reese’s injury sent the Sky spiraling, losing their last five games and missing out on the playoffs. So while Clark was busy leading the Indiana Fever to a playoff spot and grabbing the ROTY trophy, Reese had some time to perfect her Instagram captions and plan her “big announcement.”
In the end, Clark may have won the ROTY award, but Reese is still the queen of the gram. Maybe they can settle this once and for all—on the court, on Instagram Live, or perhaps with an epic TikTok dance battle? Now that would break the internet.