Featured Columnist IVAugust 4, 2024
Juan Ocampo/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
WNBA legend Sue Chicken has a simple formulation in terms of choosing the Rookie of the Yr.
Chicken stated she leans extra on the “eye check” over particular person stats or workforce document, and that is main her to select the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark over the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese this 12 months.
Ken Swift @kenswift
MEGAN RAPINOE and SUE BIRD have Caitlin Clark as ROOKIE OF THE YEAR. #wnba #caitlinclark @CaitlinClark22 #feverrising pic.twitter.com/zCPFKrttzc
Reese arguably constructed up an early lead on Clark within the ROY race after recording a WNBA document 15 straight double-doubles. A 6-9 begin was additionally just a little higher than many had been anticipating from the Sky, and Reese had a giant position in that.
Now, Clark has closed the hole and probably jumped forward due to her and the Fever discovering their footing. In her final 10 video games earlier than the midseason break, Clark averaged 18.5 factors, 6.3 rebounds and 11.4 assists, and that stretch contains shelling out 19 assists in a loss to the Dallas Wings.
The Fever have jumped forward of the Sky by one recreation within the standings as properly to offer an additional enhance to Clark’s candidacy.
Particular person awards are at all times subjective, and that is notably true with Rookie of the Yr as a result of there might be so many alternative methods by which to evaluate the contenders. One draw back to Chicken’s metric, although, is that any “eye check” is certain to favor a dynamic high-volume scorer and playmaker over an influence ahead who excels in doing the soiled work inside.
However there are definitely different components that time to Clark because the slight favourite proper now.
