Angel Reese's campaign for the WNBA Rookie of the Year award has one more star backing it : Joakim Noah.
Noah, the Chicago Bulls legend and two-time All-Star, believes that Reese had outplayed Caitlin Clark throughout the season, despite what her shooting percentages were. Of note, the 39-year-old called to mind Reese's playstyle as to why he is backing the Chicago Sky star in the Rookie of the Year race.
Speaking with Fox News Digital during NBA Night at the Emirates Suite at the U.S. Open last week, Noah made it clear why he would vote for Reese if he had a say in who would win.
"I would say Angel Reese," the former Bulls star said at the time . "When I look at her play, she reminds me a lot of myself. She's Chicago Sky, I'm Chicago. That being said, Caitlin Clark is a beast. She's making this a much bigger business."
It is worth noting that Noah's comment on the similarity between his and Reese's game is not unfounded. In his prime, Noah was deadly in the paint, doing most of his damage within 10 feet of the basket because of his deft touch with the ball and savviness around the rim.
On the defensive end, Noah was a force, displaying impressive instincts on that side of the ball. In 2014, Noah won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award and was a three-time All-Defensive team selection, being selected to the first team twice and the second team once.
Noah was instrumental in helping the Bulls become a consistent playoff fixture in the early to mid-2010s. In a five-year stretch from the 2010-2011 season to the 2014-2015 season, Noah - alongside MVP Derrick Rose and head coach Tom Thibodeau - helped Chicago win almost 65 percent of their games, averaging about 51 wins per season.
The trio reached the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2010-2011 season, losing out to LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Meanwhile for Reese, it could be argued that the Sky drafted their own version of Noah, especially with how similar their games are.
Reese, like Noah, does all her damage from inside the paint, though her percentages leave much to be desired. Also, the Sky rookie is a tenacious rebounder and physical defender, playing her position well despite not having gaudy steals and block numbers.
That aside, perhaps what ultimately ended Reese's dreams of winning the Rookie of the Year award is the fact that she underwent surgery to address a wrist injury . On social media, the star rookie announced her season was over because of the injury.
"I’m filled with emotions right now that I have a season ending injury, but also filled with so much gratitude for what is next," Reese wrote. "'God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers.' You’ll still see me being the biggest cheerleader on the sideline! And Unrivaled league, see you soon!"
With Reese's season over, Clark is the presumptive Rookie of the Year. Still, the Indiana Fever star shouted out Reese after the announcement, stating: "Congratulations to her, I thought she had a tremendous year, and I thought she came to the league and really did what she's done well her entire career, as long as I've known her. So it's definitely devastating."
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