Sports
ESPN Releases Latest 2024 WNBA Rookie Rankings – Sports Illustrated
The ongoing race between Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark for WNBA Rookie of the Year continues to be one of the biggest conversations in the league. Both are incredibly worthy of the honor after posting impressive numbers in the first half of the season.
Does one currently have an upper hand? ESPN released its most recent WNBA rookie rankings for the 2024 season. Right now, Reese sits in the No. 1 spot while Clark occupies the No. 2 place on the list.
While there will probably be plenty of feedback regarding ESPN's rankings, writer Neil Paine explained the metrics used to determine the list.
"As a refresher on our process, each 2024 rookie is rated based on how many wins each has added so far this season, using a consensus of three different advanced value metrics: Basketball-Reference's from Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and wins generated via Estimated RAPTOR, a plus/minus-style stat that accounts for both a player's individual production and her effect on her team's net rating during a game," Paine writes. "The RAPTOR metric is a new addition to these rankings, and it's a big improvement because it includes a player's stats and the effect of those stats on the game.
"Each estimate of wins created is then averaged into a single metric, called Consensus Wins, which can then be used to rank every qualified rookie. Last time, we ranked off of per-minute production because teams had played wildly disparate numbers of games; now we can simply rank off of total wins added, as each team has played between 21 and 23 games — which also marks the halfway mark of the WNBA's 40-game season."
In other words, this isn't really an opinion-based rating. The metrics measure how important each player is to their team in terms of wins. Because of that, Reese lands one spot higher in the latest rankings than Clark.
We're only halfway through the WNBA season, but it seems to be a two-person race for the WNBA Rookie of the Year. Should Reese or Clark get the nod? Both have been outstanding.
Reese has set a new WNBA record by posting 14 consecutive double-doubles. She is also the first rookie to claim WNBA Player of the Week honors (Week 7) during the 2024 season.
Reese is averaging 14.0 point, 11.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game. The Sky own a 9-12 record.
Clark was the No. 1 overall pick and became the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds in a win over the New York Liberty on July 6.
Clark is averaging 16.7 points, 7.6 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. The Fever sit at 9-14 on the year.
Former WNBA coach and ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck recently explained who she would select as the 2024 Rookie of the Year.
"I mean, it is a thin, thin line. It's really tight," Peck said. "But when you look at where the teams are — and I also went a little deeper and looked at plus-minus, and I also look at net rating. When you look at that, Angel Reese has to get the nod.
"Now, I know it's not a popular position to take because Angel Reese has to do the dirty work. I have said, it's not sexy to have to battle and rebound inside. Where you've got to do the blue-collar work. But this is a player that has come in as a rookie and is putting up grown woman numbers."
Both Reese and Clark were WNBA All-Star selections.
DUSTIN SCHUTTE
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