INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JUNE 16: Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky reacts after fouling Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever during the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 16, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Angel Reese could be closing the gap on Rookie of the Year in the WNBA with Caitlin Clark.© Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
The Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark rivalry has been one of the biggest storylines in sports for months. Both were stars at the NCAA level and have showcased the same elite skills at the WNBA level, leading to record numbers in viewership during their showdowns
Clark has been on a meteoric rise since her college days, effectively changing the makeup of WNBA exposure. Though she has been a focal point for the league, Reese has also inserted herself into that conversation, taking subtle jabs at Clark while exclaiming that she is a big reason why people are tuning into games more than they ever consistently had before.
The consensus is that Clark would run away with the WNBA Rookie of the Year award, but that might no longer be the case. Reese has been on a tear and could be making a case to land the award instead, especially after receiving Rookie of the Month for June. According to Sam Joseph of CNN, the 6-foot-3 LSU alum is the first player in WNBA history to notch 10 consecutive double-doubles, and again she’s just a rookie.
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Reese secured ROTM for June after she secured 14.5 points per game, 13.2 rebounds per game, and 1.8 assists per game. Interestingly, Clark also won ROTM for May posting 17.6 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, and 6.6 assists per game.
Based on stats, Clark had the more successful ROTM nod. Despite the more successful month, Reese continues to give Clark a run for her money in more than one category
Clark is currently averaging 16.2 points per game compared to Reese’s 13.3.
Those figures are not that far off. Reese, on the other hand, is leading the way with rebounds by a significant margin.
Reese has been averaging 11.4 rebounds per game compared to Clark’s 5.7.
Clark also leads with 6.9 assists per game compared to Reese’s 1.9. Though both are close enough in overall points, Reese is by far the better defender.
It will be interesting to see how their stats change by the season’s end, but Reese could be closing the gap in the ROTY race. According to the most recent odds on Bovada, Clark is at a -600 to win the coveted award, while Reese is in second with +375.
If Reese can secure ROTM honors in July, those numbers might dramatically change.
The exposure that both women’s presence have led to has caused a ripple effect of exposure in the sports world, with many pro athletes commenting on their rivalry. Even Los Angeles Lakers legend Earvin “Magic ” Johnson compared Clark and Reese to his own rivalry with Larry Bird.
Though the beginning of the season appeared to be a bit more emotional with Reese receiving a Flagrant 1 foul for striking Clark in the face and ignoring the media after the Chicago Sky first lost to the Indiana Fever, Reese has since been letting her high level of play do most the talking.