Lisa Leslie Sits On Fence, Says Caitlin Clark & Angel Reese Both Deserve ‘Rookie Of The Year’ Award
WNBA legend Lisa Leslie refuses to take sides when it comes to the "Rookie of the Year" race between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Both Clark and Reese put up big performances in their most recent games. Clark dropped 28 points and 12 assists in the Fever’s 100-93 victory over the Dallas Wings on Sunday and helped lead her team to its first winning record this season. Meanwhile, Reese snagged another double-double and set the WNBA’s new single-season rebounding record in the Sky’s 79-74 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.
So Leslie's solution? Give them both the award!
"I don’t care what comparisons you make both @Reese10Angel and @CaitlinClark22 deserve the Rookie of the Year Award!" Leslie posted on X Sunday evening. "The pressure and the weight of this season has forever changed the @WNBA and both rookies rose to the top and exceeded all our expectations! Take a bow ladies."
Leslie is a two-time WNBA champion and a three-time league MVP. She certainly knows her basketball. But it's clear she's purposely riding the fence to spare feelings here.
Because the ROY Award isn't a participation trophy or a consolation prize. It's a recognition of the best rookie in the game, and right now, that rookie is objectively Caitlin Clark.
Lisa Leslie Refuses To Take Sides On ROY Debate
Yes, Reese has the single-season rebound record. But that record is tainted by her inability to finish at the rim. She is shooting less than 40% from the field, and most of her attempts are from inside the paint. And it doesn't help her case that the Sky are plummeting in the standings. Chicago is 11-21 with seven losses in eight games since the Olympic break.
READ: Angel Reese Sets WNBA Rebounding Record, But Fans Aren't Buying The Hype
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark were teammates at the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game.
(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
And then you have Clark.
Earlier this season, the No. 1 overall pick became the first WNBA rookie ever to record a triple-double. And Sunday, she became the first WNBA player ever to have back-to-back games in the regular season with at least 25 points and 10 assists. Clark has already set the rookie record for most assists in a season and is on pace to break the overall record.
RELATED: Caitlin Clark Outplays Angel Reese In Potential ROY Battle As Fever Wins Again
She's averaging 18.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and a league-leading 8.4 assists per game. The 22-year-old has scored or assisted on 37.3% of the Fever's points this season. If that stands, that will be a WNBA record, too, according to ESPN.
After a slow start in May, the Fever are surging heading into the last two weeks of the regular season. Indiana is 6-1 since the Olympic break with three of those victories coming on the road.
Caitlin Clark is the favorite to be named WNBA Rookie of the Year.
(Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Ultimately — despite Leslie's idea to award them both — there will only be one Rookie of the Year. And if I were a betting woman, my money would be on Clark.