WNBA Rookie of the Year Odds: Can Rising Reese Close In on Clark?

As the league approaches the Olympic break in a few weeks, it is expected that the WNBA Rookie of the Year competition has narrowed down to two contenders: Caitlin Clark from the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky.

Clark and Reese may not have been drafted first and second overall in this year’s WNBA Draft, but they are the headliners of the class in terms of pre-existing notoriety. In addition to all that both players accomplished on the collegiate level, a rivalry between the two has been manufactured. That rivalry, for better or worse, transcends what either player does on the basketball court or the fact that they play completely different positions on said court.

Despite falling short in two attempts to win a national championship, Clark’s leadership propelled Iowa to unprecedented success. She shattered numerous program, conference, and national records, and left a lasting impression with her remarkable shots from every corner of the court.

Reese, who achieved 80 double-doubles in just 116 games throughout her four-year tenure at Maryland and LSU, guided the Tigers to a national championship victory against Clark’s Hawkeyes in 2023. However, she was unable to duplicate that remarkable triumph in her last year of college, as Iowa dashed the Tigers’ hopes for a consecutive title in the Elite Eight.

2024 WNBA Draft First Round Picks

Bolded and italicized players are not playing in the WNBA this season.

1. Indiana Fever – Caitlin Clark, Iowa
2. Los Angeles Sparks – Cameron Brink, Stanford
3. Chicago Sky – Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
4. Los Angeles Sparks – Rickea Jackson, Tennessee
5. Dallas Wings – Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State
6. Washington Mystics – Aaliyah Edwards, UConn
7. Chicago Sky – Angel Reese, Chicago Sky
8. Minnesota Lynx – Alissa Pili, Utah
9. Dallas Wings – Carla Leite, France
10. Connecticut Sun – Leila Lacan, France
11. Marquesha Davis from Ole Miss has been selected to join the New York Liberty.
12. Atlanta Dream – Nyadiew Puoch, Australia

Given the circumstances they faced and the inherent challenges of transitioning from college to the professional ranks, it comes as no surprise that both individually and as a team, they have encountered difficulties in adapting to the WNBA despite their prior success in college.

As the season has advanced, Clark and Reese have grown increasingly comfortable, coinciding with a rise in team success.

The Chicago Sky secured their second consecutive victory with an 88-87 win against Indiana on Sunday, improving their season record to 6-9. Despite the Indiana Fever’s inability to seal the win at Wintrust Arena, they have emerged victorious in five out of their last seven games, bringing their season record to 7-11.

Although there is still a significant amount of basketball remaining this season, both teams currently find themselves firmly in the playoff picture. Moreover, with Cameron Brink’s unfortunate season-ending injury due to a torn ACL last week, and no other rookies even being considered, the attention for the WNBA Rookie of the Year award is now solely focused on Clark and Reese.

Odds to Win 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year

2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on Sunday’s WNBA games.

• Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever -850
• Angel Reese, Chicago Sky +500

Clark vs Reese in Two-Horse WNBA Rookie of the Year Race

Despite facing early shooting and turnover struggles, Clark remains the frontrunner for the WNBA Rookie of the Year title, with her chances of winning only growing stronger as the season progresses.

Clark’s impressive performance in Iowa City had raised high expectations for her to dominate the scoreboard in Indianapolis. This anticipation was further fueled by her remarkable 20-point debut against the Connecticut Sun, a top-notch team in the WNBA.

However, out of the 17 games that followed, she has only managed to score 20 points or more on four occasions. Nevertheless, her shooting skills have been getting better, and she is currently in a consistent phase where she excels in various aspects of the game.

Caitlin Clark Game Log and Season Statistics

Last Five Games for Caitlin Clark

• On June 23, during their road game, the Chicago Sky recorded 17 points by making 5 out of 11 field goals, 5 out of 9 three-pointers, and 2 out of 3 free throws. Additionally, they contributed 13 assists, secured six rebounds, and achieved four steals.
• In the road game on June 21, the Atlanta Dream achieved 16 points, shooting 6 of 12 from the field, 4 of 8 from the three-point line, and missing 1 free throw attempt. Additionally, they recorded seven assists and four rebounds.
• On June 19, the Washington Mystics showcased an impressive performance at home. They accumulated a total of 18 points, with 6 of 12 field goals made, 2 of 6 three-pointers made, and a perfect 4 of 4 free throws. Additionally, they secured 12 rebounds, provided six assists, and executed four steals.
• On June 16, playing on their home court, the Chicago Sky had an impressive performance. They scored 23 points, with 7 out of 11 field goals, 3 out of 7 three-pointers, and a perfect 6 out of 6 free throws. Additionally, they contributed nine assists, grabbed eight rebounds, and blocked two shots.
• On June 13, the Atlanta Dream scored a total of 7 points, with 3 successful shots out of 11 attempts from the field and 1 successful shot out of 6 attempts from the 3-point line. Additionally, they recorded six assists, four rebounds, and two blocks.

2024 Season Statistics for Caitlin Clark

• In a span of 18 games, this player averaged 16.3 points per game, 6.6 assists per game, 5.4 rebounds per game, 1.5 steals per game, with a field goal percentage of 39.9%, a three-point percentage of 35.2%, and a free throw percentage of 88.9%.
• In the month of May, the player averaged 17.6 points per game, 6.6 assists per game, and 5.1 rebounds per game. Their field goal percentage was 37.7%, three-point percentage was 32%, and free throw percentage was 89.4%.
• In June, the player showcased impressive stats across 9 games, averaging 15.0 points per game (PPG), 6.7 assists per game (APG), and 5.8 rebounds per game (RPG). Their field goal percentage (FG) stood at 42.6%, while their three-point percentage (3PT) reached 35.7%. Additionally, they maintained a solid free throw percentage (FT) of 88%.

Reese didn’t face the same level of expectations as Clark did, but it still took her some time to find her rhythm as a double-double machine.

Reese only achieved one double-double in her first seven WNBA games. This notable accomplishment occurred in her fifth game, where she scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against the Seattle Storm. Throughout these initial seven games, she maintained a respectable average of 10.6 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game. However, these statistics paled in comparison to her remarkable performance for LSU just a few weeks earlier.

However, her WNBA Rookie of the Year prospects have brightened as she achieved eight consecutive double-doubles, including an impressive performance of 25 points and 16 rebounds against the Fever on Sunday. Throughout this remarkable stretch, she has been averaging 15.5 points per game and 13.1 rebounds per game.

Angel Reese Game Log and Season Statistics

Last Five Games for Angel Reese

• On June 23, while playing at home, the Indiana Fever scored 25 points, with 8 successful shots out of 12 attempts and 9 out of 11 free throws. Additionally, they secured 16 rebounds.
• On June 20, during their home game, the Dallas Wings scored 16 points with a 7 out of 13 field goal success rate and 2 out of 3 free throw success rate. They also grabbed 18 rebounds, made three assists, and achieved two steals.
• On June 16, while playing on the road, the Indiana Fever contributed 11 points (with 4 successful field goals out of 13 attempts and 3 successful free throws out of 3), grabbed 13 rebounds, provided five assists, and acquired two steals.
• On June 14th, the Washington Mystics achieved a total of 10 points, shooting 3 out of 10 field goals and making all 4 free throws. Additionally, they grabbed an impressive 14 rebounds and provided two assists.
• On June 12th, at their home game against the Connecticut Sun, the player achieved an impressive performance scoring 20 points. They made 8 out of 10 field goals and successfully converted all 4 free throws. Additionally, they managed to grab 10 rebounds and made two steals during the game.

2024 Season Statistics for Angel Reese

• In a span of 15 games, the player showcased an average of 13.2 points per game, 11.1 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game, 1.7 steals per game, a field goal percentage of 40.6%, and a free throw percentage of 76.2%.
• In the month of May, the player’s statistics for 6 games were as follows: 11.0 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, shooting 37.3% from the field, and 66.7% from the free-throw line.
• In June, this player averaged 14.6 points per game, 13.1 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game, 2.0 steals per game, with a field goal percentage of 42.5% and a free throw percentage of 82.4%.

The attention on these two rookies, their supposed “rivalry,” and particularly on Clark, who received unnecessary media attention after being excluded from the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team, is overemphasized. It’s important to remember that the WNBA consists of twelve teams, with many skilled players and captivating storylines to follow throughout the rest of the season.

However, the three encounters between Clark and Reese have garnered significant attention, both from live audiences, television viewers, and online spectators.

The highly anticipated game between them took place in Indianapolis on June 16 and was broadcasted on CBS. It garnered the highest viewership for a WNBA game since 2001. However, this record was short-lived as their clash in Chicago last Sunday, which aired on ESPN, surpassed it.

It would be a positive outcome if we witness a closely contested race for the WNBA Rookie of the Year award between two players who are also competing fiercely for a playoff spot.

Do we have a chance of obtaining that? Reese still has a significant amount of progress to make, considering the current odds. However, her recent performance has provided her with an opportunity to narrow the distance at least in the upcoming weeks before the Olympic break and when the season recommences in mid-August.

No matter what occurs, both neutrals and enthusiasts have much to anticipate, as these two exceptional stars persistently discover their rhythm on the professional platform.

Other WNBA Betting Information

Where to Bet on WNBA Rookie of the Year Odds and More

This season, the availability of WNBA odds has expanded greatly due to the increasing popularity of the WNBA and women’s basketball.

Besides providing odds for each game on the schedule, numerous sportsbooks also present a range of WNBA futures odds. These include odds for Rookie of the Year, championship winners, WNBA MVP, win totals, and many others.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for WNBA betting. In addition to BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (review)
• BetUS (review)
• Bookmaker (review)
• Bovada (review)
• MyBookie (review)
• Sportsbetting.ag (review)

If you don’t have an account with a book on this list, consider checking out our reviews to determine if it’s worth your interest and the money you plan to bet.

Interested in Learning More About WNBA Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the WNBA? Check out our WNBA betting guide. Also, if you’d like to learn more about betting on WNBA player prop bets, our NBA player props guide is a handy resource to utilize.

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