The race for the WNBA's Rookie of the Year award is coming down to two young women: the Chicago Sky's resilient forward, Angel Reese , and the Indiana Fever's sensational guard, Caitlin Clark . After battling for supremacy in the NCAA, the rivalry between the two has carried over to the pros, making for an exciting and closely followed competition.
But according to one NBA legend, there is a clear frontrunner. In a recent interview with ESPN, Shaquille O'Neal shared his pick for the WNBA Rookie of the Year: Angel Reese. The man known as "Diesel" reasoned that Angel's persistence and resolve have helped her establish herself as one of the W's fast-rising stars.
Born to be a competitor
The Hall of Fame center has known Reese since her days at LSU. There, she made an immediate impression on the four-time NBA champ when she challenged him to a shooting contest. While most young hoopers would be in awe of the iconic big man, Reese didn't hesitate to challenge the giant.
"She made the comment the other day that she was born like this, and it's true. Her mentality, the way she plays—no-nonsense, says what's on her mind, and plays her game—that's what I love about her," Shaq told SportsCenter. "When I first met her, we had a little challenge where she said she could outshoot me. I was like, 'No, you can't outshoot me.' I've been a fan of hers since then. She won a championship, and she's the type that if you doubt her, she's just going to step up and play."
There were whispers here and there about whether the seventh overall pick could handle the physicality of the WNBA. However, she soon silenced her detractors by registering 15 straight double-doubles, which shattered Candace Parker's previous record of 12 for most double-doubles in a row.
"I know she remembers people saying, 'Oh, the way you play at LSU is not going to translate to this game,' and I know she took that to heart. I'm so happy for her and for our team. Not just because she's with LSU, but I think she's definitely leading in the Rookie of the Year race," Shaq asserted.
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Done a lot for the game
Although her pick is Angel, "The Big Aristotle" did not hesitate to praise Caitlin for helping women's basketball become what it is today.
"Caitlin is a fabulous player, the female Steph Curry. They've both done a lot for the game," the 15-time All-Star remarked. "Caitlin and Angel, because of social media and other media outlets, have really brought the game to where it should have been ten years ago."
In previous years, not many people tuned in to the WNBA. However, with Caitlin and Angel's arrival, arenas are now selling out, and the league is gaining more attention. They have become role models for young girls and have shown that women can be just as talented and exciting to watch in basketball as men.
"They always play hard, and their fundamentals are great. Listen, Caitlin Clark is a fabulous player, and Angel Reese is a fabulous player, but I'm going to give it to Angel Reese right now," the 2000 MVP proclaimed.
Caitlin and Angel are neck-to-neck heading to the league's All-Star break, with the latter averaging 17.1 points and 8.2 assists while the latter is averaging 13.5 points and 11.5 rebounds. The race for ROTY honors is far from over, and this may be just the beginning of a rivalry that will define this generation.
Related: Dawn Staley weighs in on the Angel Reese vs Caitlin Clark Rookie of the Year race - "If I had to pick today, it's Angel"
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