The start to the 2024 WNBA season has featured great performances from the highly-touted rookie class. Caitlin Clark, Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink and Aaliyah Edwards all have stepped up.
Angel Reese, though, is the one pulling away from the field in June.
The 22-year-old has averaged 14.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 3.3 steals over the Sky's last four games. And she's been a double-double machine, with six in her first 12 games for Chicago — including five in the last five.
Here's why Reese is the early leader for Rookie of the Year race, even over rival Clark, as the two prepare for their second WNBA clash when the Fever host the Sky at 12 p.m. ET Sunday in Indianapolis.
MORE: Why Angel Reese is a better fit than Caitlin Clark for Team USA
Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark stats
| Angel Reese | Stat (per game) | Caitlin Clark |
|---|---|---|
| 12.2 | Points | 15.6 |
| 10.0 | Rebounds | 4.9 |
| 1.8 | Assists | 6.0 |
| 1.8 | Steals | 1.4 |
| 37.8% | Field goal % | 36.7% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 32.2% |
| 74.6% | Free throw % | 89.7% |
Stats as of 6/15/24
When it comes to statistics, Clark has the edge in points and assists per game, while Reese is clearly the better rebounder. Both players have struggled with shooting efficiently, though Reese's field goal percentage is on the uptick.
Yet these statistics only partly capture how strong of a defender Reese has been for Chicago. She has been the best two-way rookie in the league.
She's been piling up the counting stats too. After her 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals against the league-leading Sun on Wednesday, she became the first member of her class to record more than 100 points and 100 rebounds.
MORE: Complete history of Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark matchups
Why Angel Reese is leading Rookie of the Year race
Angel Reese is already a killer rebounder
Reese has been the best offensive rebounder in the WNBA from the second she stepped onto the floor. Her average of 4.6 offensive rebounds leads the league and is well ahead of Natasha Howard's 4.0 in second place. Even more impressively, Reese is doing it in 5.9 fewer minutes per game than Howard.
Her 10.0 total rebounds place her tied for fourth in the league with Alyssa Thomas and behind only A'ja Wilson, Dearica Hamby and Napheesa Collier.
Reese works the baseline like a seasoned veteran. She slithers along it, finding openings when the ball goes up to put herself in perfect position to grab misses.
As she told CHGO's Stephen PridGeon-Garner, her ambidexterity is one of her secrets to having such a great nose for the ball. She has a chance to be one of the best offensive rebounders that the league has seen.
Angel Reese is a great defender
Reese was touted as a great defender coming out of the college ranks, and the former LSU star has already exceeded those expectations. Her one-on-one defense has been nothing short of lock-down in her best games.
Angel Reese.
— Ianni (@ianni_ch) May 26, 2024
Perimeter defense. pic.twitter.com/3rLu22zuUI
Reese's steal numbers speak for themselves. She leads all rookies and ranks fifth overall with 1.9 per game, and some of them have been amazing to watch. She simply ripped the ball away from Sun forward DeWanna Bonner during Wednesday's game.
Reese hasn't gotten a ton of blocks (0.1 per game). But she's been in the right position to alter shots, which has led to run outs the other way.
Angel Reese alters one shot and then finishes another.
— Ianni (@ianni_ch) May 26, 2024
Extremely strong start tonight for Reese. pic.twitter.com/9WiNJy3R1s
Reese told us that this would happen before the season even started.
“Honestly, I'm a great defender; defense leads to offense," she said during her introductory press conference. "So, being able to rebound and guard all five positions is something I really look forward to doing.”
She has made good on that promise.
Angel Reese is an improving scorer
The one area where Reese has struggled is in shooting efficiency. Her touch from everywhere has been shaky, leading to a poor 38.5% from the field.
That number is trending upward, though. She had her two best games of the season in the past week, going 5-of-10 from the floor against the Dream and 8-of-10 against the top-ranked Sun defense.
Reese was pretty clearly rushing many of her shots early in the season. As she's learned to slow down, she's gotten better both out of the post, on face-up drives and on her putbacks.
Those plays are becoming more consistent for everyone in Reese's rookie class. The expectations have been unfair for them all, as Magic Johnson recently stated on the Jimmy Kimmel Show. Johnson warned that it will be a while before they are the best players in the league, "just like Larry [Bird] and I were not the best when we entered the league. We became the best later on."
Right now, Reese is leading the pack for these rookies, and she's getting better every day. She has the potential to be a star in the WNBA, and she's already showing it.