UNSCRIPTED: Caitlyn Clark or Angel Reese
Unscripted By Keith Edmonds
FWIS Contributing Writer
Who’s your WNBA Rookie of the Year?
This season has been one for the ages in the WNBA. The league is experiencing growth at unprecedented levels as more fans are coming out to watch these talented players than ever before. The league and games (in my opinion) have always been for lack of a better word; interesting, but for some reason was not able to draw in the “causal” fan who’s out there just waiting for something to spark their interest and get them reeled in on a nightly basis. It certainly wasn’t because they were lacking talent as legendary players such as Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Candance Parker, and more recently Aja Wilson have dominated the headlines with their stellar play, but for some reason the league’s attendance, and overall value has been on steady decline since its inception in 1996, and has never had a year where they have finished in the black financially until hopefully... this season!
What do many (including myself) attribute this to? In my opinion and others, the arrival of what could be the most talented rookie class to ever come to the WNBA courts has breathed new life into the league. Names like Cameron Brink (Stanford) Rickea Jackson (Tennessee), Aaliyah Edwards (UCONN), and Alissa Pili (Utah) have certainly gotten our attention, but two outstanding rookies that stand far above them all, have garnered most of our interest and they are: Caitlyn Clark (Iowa) and Angel Reese (LSU). These two young women have put “butts in the seats” at an all-time level and given fans and league followers a buzz that is similar to when Larry Bird (ISU) and Earvin “Magic” Johnson (Mich. St) came in as rookies to the NBA in 1979. These young women can flat out play! Their games are NOTHING alike but as fans, we can appreciate them both! As they are completing their remarkable rookie campaigns, they are putting up numbers that any veteran league player would be excited and proud of! Clark’s statistics for the Indiana Fever are: 17 ppg/6 rpg/8 apg. Angel Reese on the other hand, is putting up 13.5 ppg/12rpg/2 apg as a member of the Chicago Sky which again, is astonishing and something that I would think that most WNBA players would consider a solid season! But their contributions go much further than “game statistics.” When we take a look at the league attendance (people coming to the games or watching on TV) that’s where you’ll see their most impact, and why they are the two leading candidates for Rookie of The Year. Let’s dive deeper into their value to the league, its fans, and players. A recent game featuring the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream was the MOST watched on the ION network in league history! Every Indiana Fever home game is SOLD-OUT for the year, and even when the Fever are NOT playing at home, most of their away games have to shift venues as regular WNBA venues are too small and just can’t accommodate the numbers of fans coming in! Clark has almost singlehandedly lifted the league to heights often thought of, but never attained as far as positive revenue is concerned. Her long-ranged logo 3 pointers and flair in her game is reminiscent of a player from long ago named “Pistol” Pete Maravich (yes, I’m dating myself).
Now as for her remarkable attributes, there’s still some work to be done in her game as she does lead the league in turnovers and has a tendency to force some things at times during games, but she is a treat to watch and we marvel at her patience with fans, (especially kids) and the demeanor that she shows in press conferences and dealing with public scrutiny. She defies what a “traditional” rookie is supposed to play like and despite sharp criticism from players current and past, she’s still making the adjustments to a very tenuous WNBA rookie season.
This brings me to my next player Angel Reese. Her impact hasn’t been as dramatic at the box office as Clark’s, but her value to her TEAM is nevertheless just as influential! Her game is nothing like Clark’s as she prefers to play inside and battle with aggressive post play and demon-like rebounding on both ends of the floor to get things done. She is a rebounding machine and set a WNBA record for consecutive double/doubles (points and rebounds) in games earlier this season. Now I’ll admit, many of us cringe at some of her antics and outspokenness, as she says some things that are very... well let me say “pearl grabbing” to the media and opposing players which at times gets her frowned on, but her commitment to excellence is second to none!
They both should be given credit for advancing the women’s game to a place that could only have been dreamt of by legends; Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, and Lisa Leslie. Increased salaries, private team planes, better facilities and many other amenities have been the end result of fans becoming more involved with the players, teams, and cities that these ladies play in. I for one have no problem with either of these women winning the award of Rookie of The Year and in a perfect world they would share it for what they’ve done for the WNBA, their teams, but more importantly THEMSELVES as they navigate the rough waters of being a professional athlete in their own inimitable ways. They are paving the way for the next group of stars headed to the league led by Paige Bueckers (UCONN) and JuJu Watkins (USC). The league is headed in a great direction and hopefully we’ll stand behind them all!