UPDATED SEPTEMBER 01, 2024 9:25 PM WNBA legend and former Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie has voiced her opinion on the debate for who deserves the league’s Rookie of the Year Award. Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky have had two of the best rookie seasons in WNBA history. With just under three weeks remaining in the regular season, the debate over who deserves the award will only heat up. Impressively, both currently lead the WNBA in a significant statistical category: Clark in assists and Reese in rebounds. It is unheard of for two rookies to achieve this, let alone one. Clark is averaging 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists. She recently set the rookie record for the most three-pointers with 98, surpassing the previous mark of 85 set by Rhyne Howard. On the other hand, Reese is averaging 13.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. She just set a different record: most rebounds recorded in a single season with 418, surpassing the 404 set by Sylvia Fowles. After Clark and Reese played on Sunday afternoon, September 1, Leslie said she was impressed by both players and thinks they each deserve the Rookie of the Year Award. Reese recorded 17 points, 19 rebounds, and three assists in the Sky’s 79-74 loss to the Lynx, while Clark scored 28 points, grabbed four rebounds, and dished out 12 assists in the Fever’s 100-93 victory over the Wings. “I don’t care what comparisons you make both Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark deserve the Rookie of the Year Award!” Leslie said. “The pressure and the weight of this season has forever changed the WNBA and both rookies rose to the top and exceeded all our expectations! Take a bow ladies .” The debate for who is better began when Clark and Reese faced off for the first time in the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s National Championship game. In that game, Reese’s LSU defeated Clark’s Iowa 102-85 to win the title. Reese scored 15 points, had five assists, and grabbed ten rebounds, while Clark scored 30 points, had two rebounds, and made eight assists.
LSU’s Angel Reese points to her ring finger as Iowa’s Caitlin Clark watches during the national championship game. Zach Boyden-Holmes / USA TODAY NETWORK Zach Boyden-Holmes / USA TODAY NETWORK Both teams will be in action in the next couple days. The Sky will take the court next against the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday, September 3 at 10:00 p.m. ET. The Fever will next play against the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, September 4, at 7:00 p.m. ET.
