Darnell Sallins, Writer
The WNBA has been the spotlight of the sports world since the 2024 draft class headlined by Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Ticket prices are through the roof in the WNBA. Games are being moved to NBA Arenas when the arrival of Caitlin Clark and to a lesser degree Angel Reese.
A rivalry that dates back to the National Championship Game in 2023, where Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers defeated Caitlin Clark and Iowa Hawkeyes. Angel Reese gave the "You Can See Me" signal to Clark as the clock ran down to 0. From that point forward the attention has been on these two ladies ever since.
Now, as professional, Clark and Reese are setting record on the court and are the front-runners for WNBA Rookie of the Year. USA Today has Caitlin Clark as the front-runner and Angel Reese second in their Rookie Power Rankings. CBS Sports has it flipped with Angel Reese as the front-runner and Caitlin Clark second in their Rookie Power Rankings.
With these two ladies separating themselves from their fellow draft class, it could come down to the head-to-head meetings between Clark and Reese.
In two meetings thus far in the season Caitlin Clark is up 2-0 on Angel Reese. The Indiana Fever have won both meeting in Indianapolis as Clark has averaged 17 points on 50% shooting from the field with 8 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. Angel Reese is averaging 9.5 points on 27.3% from the field with 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal in those games.
So, it is reasonable based on the head-to-head matchups, Caitlin Clark to be the front-runner for Rookie of the Year. However, Angel Reese can change as Round 3 between the Fever and the Sky takes on Sunday (toady), June 23 at 4PM in Chicago on ESPN.
Angel Reese is the only rookie in the WNBA averaging a double-double this season and set a WNBA record with 7 straight double-double games by a rookie, the head-to-head can bet her downfall for Rookie of the Year. Game 3 is where Reese can make a big statement by winning this one over Clark with another good performance.
After Sunday, Clark and Reese will meet one time at the end of August on the 30th in Chicago, but Reese and Sky need to win this game on Sunday (today), for Reese to gain momentum toward the Rookie of the Year award.
The Fever are on 4-game winning streak currently and occupied the 8th spot in the standings while the Sky sits right below the Fever at 9th.