Chicago Sky Take Shady Shot At Caitlin Clark After Historic Triple-Double: 'Angel Reese is ROTY Front Runner'
Take it to the bank: Caitlin Clark will be the WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Still, the discourse rages on in the two-rookie race for ROTY between Clark and Chicago Sky's Angel Reese.
Clark made history Saturday after becoming the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double. Clark finished with 19 points, adding 13 assists and 12 rebounds (38 minutes) in an 83-78 win against the league-best New York Liberty (17-4).
Saturday's stat line by Clark cemented her odds of winning the Rookie of the Year.
Feeling some of the lost ground in the debate involving Reese and Clark, 22, the Chicago Sky threw a light jab at Clark on her historic day.
SEATTLE, WA - JULY 7 : Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky warms up before the game against the Seattle Storm on July 7, 2024 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Scott Eklund/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 6: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever looks on during the game against the New York Liberty on July 6, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Sky's social media account made a not-so-subtle nod to the ROTY race after Caitlin's performance on Saturday. Chicago called Reese "THE front runner" as they highlighted her performance from Friday.
The award is officially Caitlin Clark's to lose, and Chicago may be suspecting as much.
"Second place as far as I’m concerned. Caitlin is no. 1 still," a user on X responded.
Chicago's fanning the flames in the debate; are they setting Angel Reese up for heartbreak?
(Is the WNBA rookie race still up for debate? Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com)
Angel Reese, 22, has built a case for ROTY consideration. Reese enjoyed a career performance Friday, recording 27 points and 10 rebounds, extending her double-double stat line streak to 12 games. The Sky rookie broke the WNBA record for most consecutive double-doubles in a season (coming into Sunday with 12, tied with Candace Parker), recording her 13th straight double-double (17 points, 14 rebounds) in a loss against the Seattle Storm.
Clark, the first overall pick of the draft, has been reviving the Indiana fever alongside teammate and reigning ROTY winner Aaliyah Boston. The former's off-court appeal has also catapulted the WNBA into the American sports spotlight, selling out arenas and generating enough interest and revenue for the league to invest in its players' benefit. And she's a generational talent on the court.
Clark and Reese are shouldering what feels like the most significant WNBA season since the league started in 1997. Both rookies are bringing a newfound relevancy to the struggling league.
However, Clark distanced herself as the top pick in the rookie debate after her historic win over the Liberty, and her raw star power in the WNBA remains second to none.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 6: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever looks on during the game against the New York Liberty on July 6, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/NBAE via Getty Images)
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