A nationwide panel of voters, who also rank the AP Power Poll every week, has Caitlin Clark ahead of Angel Reese in the contest for WNBA Rookie of the Year at the halfway mark of the season.
It’s not surprising that Clark and Reese are the front-runners for the award given their remarkable rookie seasons, which have drawn attention from across the country and made them the first rookie tandem to make an All-Star team since 2014.
With so much basketball still to play, one might argue that either of the two should receive the award because they have helped the league see significant growth in ratings, attendance, and retail sales.
However, at the halfway point, the 15-member panel gives Clark the advantage 9–5. One member abstained from voting. “Today, I would say Clark, only because they have one more win overall as a team and have a 2-1 lead head-to-head,” said voter Christy Winters-Scott, a Mystics basketball analyst. “Clearly this could change as the WNBA season progresses. It has been a complete joy for me to witness how both players have evolved as professionals in such a short amount of time in the league.”
According to ESPN, Clark leads the WNBA with 713 points accounted for, which is the sum of points earned and points off assists. In a victory over New York, the No. 1 choice of the Indiana Fever also made history by being the first rookie to record a triple-double in a game.
With thirteen double-doubles in a row, Reese broke Candace Parker’s record of twelve, which she had achieved during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. With 11.9 rebounds per game, she leads the league in this category.
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