The 2024 WNBA season is off and working for some of the anticipated rookie lessons in league historical past. With the WNBA at a tipping level, all eyes are on Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 choose in April’s draft and the NCAA Division I all-time main scorer.
However the rookie class is loaded with potential future stars. Along with Clark, forwards Cameron Brink, the No. 2 draft choose with the Los Angeles Sparks, and Angel Reese, the No. 7 choose to the Chicago Sky, proceed to be among the many rookies in beginning lineups.
How are the highest rookies taking part in? We’ll monitor their performances each time they take the courtroom, so verify again each recreation day.
Final up to date: June 2
Ahead | 6-foot-2 | Sport log | Stats
Final outing: The ultimate contest of the Sparks’ three-game street journey did not go nicely. They scored a season low and misplaced at Phoenix 87-68 on Sunday. Jackson, who has began the previous three outings, had 9 factors and 7 rebounds towards the Mercury. However she will’t be happy together with her 3-of-10 taking pictures from the sphere.
What we realized: Veteran ahead Dearica Hamby has been the staff’s most constant participant to date.
However the Sparks’ guards have been a mixed 6-of-25 (24%) from the sphere Sunday, the second recreation in a row through which they struggled. The guards have been 7-of-27 (25.9%) in Thursday’s 83-73 loss at Chicago. Evaluate that to 15-of-26 (57.7%) from the Sparks’ guards of their 88-82 win at Indiana on Tuesday.
Together with Hamby, Los Angeles’ guards have been in a position to assist rookie put up gamers Jackson and Cameron Brink considerably towards the Fever by carrying a lot scoring load. However not a lot towards the Sky and the Mercury. — Michael Voepel
Up subsequent: vs. Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET)
Ahead | 6-foot-4 | Sport log | Stats
Final outing: Offensively, it wasn’t an ideal journey for Brink. She had season-best 21 factors on Might 26, adopted by three single-digit scoring outings. She registered 6 factors, 5 rebounds and a couple of blocked pictures Sunday within the loss to Phoenix. To be truthful, she additionally did not get lots of scoring alternatives, going 3-of-6 from the sphere in 26 minutes towards the Mercury.
What we realized: Defensively, Brink continues to make her mark. Along with her two blocks Sunday, she has 21 in eight video games. That’s the fourth most by way of eight profession video games in WNBA historical past. Phoenix middle Brittney Griner is tops within the statistic with 25 blocks within the first eight video games of her rookie season in 2013. — Voepel
Up subsequent: vs. Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET)
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Final outing: Again-to-back video games are arduous to win even for skilled, veteran WNBA groups. And the Fever usually are not that. Add in that they performed their eleventh recreation in 20 days on Sunday and it is not arduous to determine why they regarded fatigued in a 104-68 loss at New York through which Clark had a season-low three factors on 1-of-10 taking pictures from the sphere.
She additionally had 5 assists, 2 rebounds and a couple of steals. Clark left the sport late with an obvious ear damage and went to the locker room. She got here again to the Fever bench earlier than the sport was over. Coach Christie Sides stated she had no replace on Clark after the sport. The Fever do not play once more till Friday.
What we realized: After an emotional win at house Saturday afternoon, the Fever did not have a lot time to have a good time as they obtained on a airplane to New York. The Fever have been down 18 after the primary quarter towards the Liberty. Indiana battled to an excellent second quarter, however the recreation was primarily over at halftime. The Fever bench most likely ought to have acquired extra taking part in time, as 4 of the 5 starters nonetheless performed not less than 26 minutes. Clark performed 29.
Earlier Sunday, a foul that was dedicated Saturday on Clark by Chicago’s Chennedy Carter was upgraded to a flagrant 1 by the WNBA.
Earlier than Sunday’s contest, Clark was requested in regards to the bodily play within the league, usually.
“It makes me suppose again to school my first couple years, I used to be nonetheless fairly frail,” Clark stated. “I’m nonetheless fairly frail, however I really feel like I added fairly a little bit of muscle in my faculty profession. However that was most likely the tactic in faculty, ‘Simply be actually bodily together with her as a result of she’s not most likely as robust as everyone else.’
“My energy will evolve over the course of getting an offseason and having time to give attention to these issues. You bought to discover a method to maintain your personal. I grew up with two brothers, and issues have been very bodily, lots of blood, lots of tears, no matter it was. So, I am undoubtedly ready for it.” — Voepel
Up subsequent: at Washington Mystics on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET, ION)
Kamilla Cardoso will get her first WNBA factors on a layup
Chennedy Carter finds Kamilla Cardoso for the layup and the rookie’s first-career factors.
Heart | 6-foot-7 | Sport log | Stats
Final outing: After lacking the previous month with a shoulder damage, Cardoso made her WNBA regular-season debut and completed with 11 factors on 5-for-7 taking pictures in 18 minutes (coach Teresa Weatherspoon stated pregame that Cardoso could be on a minutes restriction). Her six rebounds off the bench helped the Sky win the battle on the glass 43-33. Cardoso picked up 4 fouls within the second half, as she battled arduous towards former South Carolina teammate Aliyah Boston — and helped get her into foul hassle, too.
What we realized: Teammate Reese stated earlier than the sport that “you’ll be able to’t train 6-foot-7,” and that was obvious for Cardoso as quickly as she took the ground. The 2024 Closing 4 Most Excellent Participant was tough for the Fever to include and had an immediate affect for Chicago every time she was on the courtroom. A lot in order that Weatherspoon turned to Cardoso as a substitute of beginning veteran middle Elizabeth Williams for the ultimate six minutes of the sport, and the rookie finally got here away with a team-best plus/minus of plus-11.
Regardless of having been sidelined up up to now and simply embarking on her professional profession, Cardoso regarded pretty comfy taking part in, which is nice information for Chicago because it seems to be to include her into its now-healthy frontcourt. — Alexa Philippou
Up subsequent: vs. New York Liberty on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
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Final outing: One other day, one other robust rebounding effort for Reese. Her 13 boards towards the Fever have been a season excessive, with eight approaching the offensive finish. The previous LSU star has compiled 4 video games with 5 offensive boards, probably the most within the league this season, whereas her 35 offensive rebounds are the fourth most by any participant by way of seven video games to start a season in league historical past.
Reese fell simply in need of her second profession double-double, ending with eight factors. She struggled changing contained in the paint (the place she was 2-for-9) however continued to seek out methods to attract fouls and sank 4 of 6 free throws, probably the most foul pictures any participant tried on the afternoon. Her two makes from the sphere got here on a putback and a midrange jumper.
What we realized: Along with her primarily going up towards former lottery choose NaLyssa Smith, Reese’s two made pictures from the sphere and 22.2% taking pictures have been season lows. The rookie has stated she has been specializing in her ending bundle, whilst she impacts the sport in different methods.
The brilliant aspect was Chicago obtained to see its draft choices in Reese and Cardoso take the ground collectively for the primary time, with the 2 combining for 19 factors and 19 rebounds. — Philippou
Up subsequent: vs. New York Liberty on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, NBA TV)