The WNBA season is a few weeks in, and many of the WNBA rookies are already showing their stuff. It really appears that most of the rookies are adjusting well from college basketball to the WNBA, which isn’t an easy task. Of course, Clark has been getting some negative press for a few slips with the Indiana Fever, but considering she joined the team with the worst record in the WNBA, I think she’s doing great. So, now with the WNBA season going strong, who are the best rookies on the court?
Ranking the WNBA Rookies
The sports experts at SBNation.com have released new power rankings for WNBA rookies. So, let’s get into their picks, and then I’ll also give my expert opinion. For No. 1 on the tally, they have Cameron Brink of the Los Angeles Sparks, who was drafted second overall. When Sparks was drafted second overall, it was a bit of a surprise, as she was a off the radar. But, she’s proving that she was deserving of that early draft pick with her performances with the Sparks. “Brink is averaging 10.8 points on 53.8% shooting, most recently capped by a 21-point, 7-12 shooting performance,” they note. They also say that she’s shining in defense, which was always her strength in college.
Coming in at No. 2 on their list is Clark. “For all the discourse around her early struggles, Caitlin Clark has still been impactful in the early days of her pro career as she adjusts to life as a starting point guard in the WNBA,” they say. “Clark is leading all rookies in scoring by nearly 5 points, and is also the second-leading rebounder among first-year players.”
No. 3 on the tally is Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky. “Many predicted Angel Reese would have a difficult transition from college to the pros due to her limited offensive game, and she has struggled a bit with inefficiency,” they point out. “But Reese has still been one of the top rookies in the class through the first couple weeks of the season.”
Rounding out the top five are Rickea Jackson of the Los Angeles Sparks at No. 4 and Julie Vanloo of the Washington Mystics at No. 5.
I mostly agree with their ranking of WNBA rookies, but I would perhaps put Jackson above Reese. Sure, Reese is doing some great things in Chicago. During her latest game against the Seattle Storm, she earned her first double-double of her WNBA career. She’s also currently leading the WNBA in offensive rebounds per game. Now, Reese is now only the third player in WNBA history to snag at least 15 offensive rebounds in their initial three games. So, even though the Sky lost in their home court, at least locals got to see a riveting game from Reese. But, I think Jackson is underrated and doesn’t get the fanfare that she deserves. She’s starting on the bench in Los Angeles, but she scored 16 points on 5-7 shooting in 21 minutes. Pretty soon, the Sparks should make her a starter, in my opinion.
It’s great to see so many more eyes on the WNBA this season, largely because of these superstar WNBA rookies. Let’s hope it’s a trend that continues, as more stars from college sports graduate to the WNBA.