Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark added another chapter to their epic rivalry during Sunday's matchup between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever. Both players showed out, but the Sky came away with the 88-87 victory, vaulting them ahead in the standings.
TV pundit Monica McNutt claims that the WNBA Rookie of the Year race between the two young stars could come down to the wire, via ESPN First Take.
“This is race is not a foregone conclusion,” McNutt said. “Coming into this season, Caitlin Clark had the best odds per Vegas to win the award. My whole thing coming into this was which one of these rookies, or any rookie should the race be opened up to dark horse contenders, is going to have the greatest impact on winning.”
While leading the team to wins is a central aspect for any award, it's worth mentioning that Chicago's roster is better than Indiana's on paper. Reese plays with fellow first-round pick Kamilla Cardoso, as well as reliable veterans such as Marina Mabrey and Chennedy Carter. While Indiana has a couple of other notable players, such as 2023 Rookie of the Year Aaliyah Boston, its team isn't quite on the same level as a whole.
Who will take the rookie crown when it's all said and done?
Reese could best Clark if she helps the Sky to more wins
Reese and Clark are both stuffing the stat sheet so much that team success may be the only metric that separates them by the end of the year. Reese turned in a career-high 25 points and 16 rebounds in Sunday's victory, while Clark dished out a franchise-record 13 assists. Reese is the first rookie to achieve that stat line in a game since A'ja Wilson in 2018, via the Associated Press. Reese and Wilson are also the only players this year with multiple 15-point, 15-rebound games.
“Yesterday. I'ma be honest with y'all,” McNutt continued. “My answer was Caitlin, because at the time, Indiana held that eighth seed. Now, there's a little bit of detail here. Indiana has played 18 games, and Chicago has played 15 games. After last night's contest, or yesterday afternoon's contest, it flips. You would have the Sky in the playoffs right now, which means that Angel Reese in theory has impacted winning in a greater way. But I think the double-double streak that she's on, the eight consecutive double-doubles [puts her ahead as well].”
Reese's elite size and physicality have already made her a formidable presence around the rim, as evidenced by her penchant for double-doubles. However, Clark's vintage scoring and distribution prowess has been something to behold as well.
“For Caitlin, she's leading rookies in points, minutes, and assists,” McNutt continued. “She's seen the most blitzes in the league, so she's navigating a different level of defensive intensity, and rightfully so because she's playing a point guard role for this Fever squad. So I think today, looking at the standings, you probably lean Angel just a little bit, but Caitlin's numbers are fantastic, and I just think this thing is going to be a lot tighter than most folks thought it might've been.”
Clark has notably taken hard fouls in several games, as defenses have tried to wear her down. That speaks to her greatness, as the best players always have targets on their backs.
Regardless, Clark and Reese's Rookie of the Year battle this season will continue to be must-see TV as both of their teams strive for playoff spots.
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