WNBA: Rookie of the 12 months credentials for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese

As WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert found final week, discussing rookie rivals Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese might be fraught, as comparisons of on-court performances usually implicate racial and gender biases that ought to not go unchecked.

Right here, we’re going to have a good time the star rookies from the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky. The achievements and talents of each deserve consideration in Rookie of the 12 months assessments.

Łukasz Muniowski takes a take a look at the historic accomplishments of Caitlin Clark, whereas Edwin Garcia praises the persistent affect of Angel Reese.

Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever)

Photograph by Justin Casterline/Getty Photographs

The MVP. The participant most instrumental to her crew’s success.

Let’s concentrate on that for a second. The Indiana Fever are third within the league in factors per sport, offensive ranking and tempo. Final 12 months, they have been seventh, sixth and tenth, respectively. Whereas there was some progress concerned with this younger crew, the arrival of Caitlin Clark sped up its improvement by a 12 months or two, at the least. The playoffs appeared a lofty purpose previous to the beginning of the season, however they made it.

Individually, regardless of some early-season struggles, Clark got here as marketed. 19.5 factors, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds? These are Candace Parker rookie year-like numbers. Add to that quite a few rookie information damaged and the publicity that Clark supplies the league, and the dialogue shouldn’t be about why Clark ought to win the award, however why she shouldn’t. — Łukasz Muniowski

Angel Reese (Chicago Sky)

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Photographs

Angel Reese has outperformed all expectations throughout her rookie marketing campaign. It’s clearly been a two-player race for Rookie of the 12 months between Reese and Caitlin Clark all season, however on draft night time, they weren’t chosen No. 1 and No. 2. Clark was the best choice, and Reese was chosen with the No. 7 choose. Even her personal crew, the Chicago Sky, chosen Kamilla Cardoso over her, taking the South Carolina Gamecock with the No. 4 choose.

Now that we’ve seen the whole season play out, it’s clear Reese is, at worst, the second-best participant this 12 months and has a powerful case for Rookie of the 12 months. The Bayou-Barbie turned Chi-Barbie has dominated the league, averaging 13.6 factors and 13.1 rebounds per sport. These boards are simply unreal for a rookie; they’re league-leading. The WNBA stays a big-based league, and physicality is among the largest struggles for rookies coming in. Reese has dealt with it simply wonderful and has gotten the higher of her friends most of the time.

A season-ending wrist harm reduce Reese’s rookie 12 months brief and robbed us of seeing her serving to the Sky make a playoff push and take a shot at one of many league’s finest within the opening spherical. That is unlucky, but it surely would not diminish what she’s completed. Reese will undoubtedly make the All-Rookie Group and has made a powerful argument for ROTY. Now, it’s only a matter of whether or not the voters will give her that honor. — Edwin Garcia