With the season nearing the end, it's almost time for awards to be dished out. Right now, it looks like A'ja Wilson is locked in for the MVP, and Napheesa Collier is eying the Defensive Player of the Year award. However, some believe there is still a race going on for the Rookie of the Year award. It consists of Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese.
Lisa Leslie's ROY opinion
In a tweet, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie wrote:
I don't care what comparisons you make both @Reese10Angel and @CaitlinClark22 deserve the Rookie of the Year Award! 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.
This isn't a new take on the matter. There are many people who believe that both Clark and Reese deserve to split the award due to their record-breaking seasons. However, others believe it's a clear win for Clark, who has taken a struggling Fever team and brought them to a possible playoff position. There's no doubt that both rookies will receive votes, but should this award be split?
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese smash records
It was clear from the start that these two women were going to come in swinging. Clark didn't shoot out like a cannon, but once she locked in, there was no stopping her. On July 17th, against the Dallas Wings, Clark managed to get herself 19 assists to obtain the record for most assists in a single game. This wasn't just a rookie record; this was an all-time record.
Recently, the Fever star also broke the record for most three-pointers made in a regular season by a rookie with her 86th, passing Rhyne Howard. She also managed to hit the mark of 400 points, 100 rebounds, and 150 assists, and she is the first rookie ever to do this. She's also the first rookie to ever have a triple-double in WNBA history. This isn't where her record-breaking ends, but it's enough to show off how dangerous she has been this season.
Reese has also pulled off some amazing things this season. She recently broke the single-season record for rebounds with 418 against the Minnesota Lynx. She's also the only rookie ever to have 23 double-doubles and the only WNBA player to have three consecutive 20+ rebound games. Lastly, she racked up 15 consecutive double-doubles in a row for another record.
This puts into perspective how much of an incredible season these two have had so far. It also shows that there will be a lot of amazing games to come as the seasons pass. Who knows what records will be broken by them as they grow their game.
The stats
Clark is currently averaging 18.7 points per game. She's also averaging 5.6 rebounds per game and 1.4 steals per game. She's sitting in ninth for PPG and 16th for STL. She's also leading the league in assists per game with 8.4. These are great stats for a rookie, and her points-per-game average seems to rise every single week. She just hit her season high in points, 31, against the Sky the other night. One could say Clark is the reason the Fever has improved so much.
Reese is averaging 13.3 points per game, 1.8 assists per game, and 1.3 steals per game. She's dominating on the boards with 13.1 rebounds per game and leads the league in REB. She's first in OREB and third in DREB, making her one of the best paint players right now. Her season high in rebounds was 22 against the Las Vegas Aces on August 25th.
Expect both of these players to continue to build on their stats in their first few seasons. They are nowhere near their peaks, which makes it even more impressive.
The problems
Neither of these players is perfect. For Reese, her big issue is her shooting percentages. A lot of people believe that she is a stat padder and is just trying to secure her double-doubles. She struggles under the rim, hitting the board hard off the rim and backboard. A lot of time, it takes her third rebound in a row for it to go in. She needs to become more confident and start growing a midrange game.
Clark's big problem is her turnover rate. It's the one record she accumulated that doesn't look so good on her list. She's averaging 5.5 turnovers a game, which is the most ever in a single season. Some of these turnovers have been due to her teammates struggling to catch dimes, but a large percentage have just been silly and messy passes that shouldn't have happened.
Should the ROY be shared?
The simple answer is no. There is no reason for the ROY to be shared between these two. They'll both end up on All-WNBA teams and have a fair share of awards in the future, but the ROY isn't meant for two players, not when one is doing more for her team.
Clark has created a new energy for the Fever. It's like they woke up from the dead and started playing basketball when she showed up. Yes, she has a turnover issue, but her assist record has been making up for it. She's really shown that she can be a leader. Also, she's been working incredibly well with Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, who have both turned it up this season.
There's a very good chance that Clark is walking away with the ROY this season. There will most likely be some backlash, no matter who receives the awards. Looking at the stats and the records makes it seem like they should be on very even ground. However, one really needs to look at who is having the more positive effect on their team. Right now, that is Caitlin Clark.