Stephen A. Smith drops eye-opening take on Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark ROY race
Stephen A. Smith stated his case for who should win the hotly contested WNBA Rookie of the Year Award.
The 2024 WNBA season has brought a scorching Rookie of the Year race, as the competition between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese heats up down the stretch of the season.
The two stars, whose rivalry started in college, have both been lighting it up in their first professional seasons. Clark has already established herself as one of the best guards in the WNBA, averaging 18 points, 5.7 rebounds and a league-leading 8.1 assists per game. Her contributions have the lowly Indiana Fever, one of the worst teams in the league over the last few seasons, in seventh place in the league right now and looking good for a playoff berth.
Reese is a rebounding machine for the Chicago Sky, leading the league by a huge margin with 12.9 boards per game, and just became the first woman in league history to record three consecutive 20-rebound games.
On Friday, Stephen A. Smith dropped his take on the fierce WNBA Rookie of the Year race, via The Stephen A. Smith Show.
“Let’s give credit where credit is due,” Smith said. “Angel Reese is showing she’s no joke either. I think she can win rookie of the year.”
Clark’s stellar performance all season, keeping an Fever team that appeared dysfunctional for parts of May, combined with a recent hot streak have made her a heavy favorite to take home the award. But Reese’s record-breaking week could be shifting the odds.
Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese both hanging onto playoff spots
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The race for the final playoff spot in the WNBA is always competitive, and this season is no different. Two of the season’s biggest stars are battling to get into the postseason, but their teams are headed in opposite directions.
Caitlin Clark has the Fever flying since they returned from the Olympic break, picking up four wins in the five games since returning and seven wins in their last 10 overall. The recent hot streak has propelled Clark and company into the seventh spot at 15-16, with a good cushion from the chasers behind them.
Angel Reese and the Sky have had a tougher time. Chicago has lost five out of their last six since the restart, falling well behind the Fever at 11-19. The Sky are still clinging to the eighth spot, just a game ahead of the Atlanta Dream. With just 10 games to go, Reese and the Sky will have to pick it up to earn a shot at the postseason.
