The battle for this season's Rookie of the Year in the WNBA is going down the wire between the Chicago Sky's Angel Reese and the Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark . Fans and pundits are torn between the two outstanding young players. Some have pointed to Angel's incredible record of 15 straight double-doubles as a point of strength in the argument for her as Rookie of the Year. However, Dan Patrick, a well-known and highly-respected broadcaster, has made his pick clear.
In a recent episode of "The Dan Patrick Show," he stated that Clark should be the top candidate for the prestigious award. He cited her impressive stats, including leading all rookies in points, assists, and steals per game, as well as her ability to make an immediate impact on her team.
A silly argument
Dawn Staley , who coached Reese at South Carolina and won NCAA titles together, argued that Angel should win the prestigious award because of her surprising performances at the pro level. However, Dan pushed back against that notion, saying Caitlin has lived up to the lofty expectations despite having a target on her back in every game she plays.
"Everyone has their opinion on who's the Rookie of the Year. Dawn Staley, a great coach from South Carolina, said that Caitlin Clark is expected to be great and isn't the Rookie of the Year, while Angel Reese is because she's a surprise," the sports commentator remarked .
"To me, that's wrong. Angel Reese was the best player on the team that won a National Championship in college. It's not like she came out of nowhere; she's been a really consistent player," he continued.
The former SportsCenter anchor furthered by saying nobody held it against LeBron James when he was the overwhelming favorite to win the ROTY in 2003,
"You don't say LeBron shouldn't have won Rookie of the Year because he was expected to win it. We're creating arguments here when, really, there's none," Dan stated.
Angel's great, but Caitlin's better
Patrick had nothing but praise for what the 6-foot-3 forward accomplished this season. She is averaging 13.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game while shattering Candace Parker's record for most consecutive double-doubles in a season. However, the longtime broadcaster stated that Caitlin has a bullseye on her back because of her consistent dominance on the court.
"Caitlin Clark has a bullseye on her back every single game. Teams know they must stop her. I don't think you look at Chicago and think, 'If we stop Angel Reese, we're going to win,'" Patrick quipped. "That's why this is a silly argument. Caitlin Clark is the Rookie of the Year. Angel Reese is a wonderful player, absolutely plays hard on both ends, but she's not the Rookie of the Year."
Whoever makes the playoffs wins the ROTY
During a recent TMZ interview, Staley was asked about her choice for Rookie of the Year. Though initially hesitant due to potential controversy, she ultimately selected her former player , Angel Reese.
"They both are having great years, don't get me wrong. But if I had to pick a Rookie of the Year at this time, it's Angel. Not a doubt," the former WNBA great stressed . "But listen, the season is halfway through, and Caitlin is coming. Caitlin is coming. If I had to pick today, it's Angel. But over the course of the season? I'll say this, whatever team makes the playoffs, that's our Rookie of the Year."
The Fever are currently in seventh in the standings, while the Sky has dropped to eighth after losing two in a row. It looks like the race for Rookie of the Year may come down to which team makes a strong push for the playoffs.
Related: "Plays with extra intensity against Caitlin" - Paul Pierce demands Angel Reese to be included in ROY discussions
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