The 2024 WNBA season is a few quarter means via a 40-game schedule. And all eyes are on Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and some of the anticipated rookie lessons in league historical past.
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, are among the many rookies persistently in beginning lineups.
How are the highest rookies enjoying? We’ll monitor their performances each time they take the court docket, so test again each sport day.
Final up to date: June 16
Angel Reese known as for flagrant foul on Caitlin Clark
Angel Reese receives a flagrant foul 1 name for a tough play on Caitlin Clark.
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Final trip: The Fever have their first profitable streak of 2024 as they defeated the Sky 91-83 on Sunday, following their victory over Atlanta on Thursday.
Sunday was one in all Indiana’s greatest total video games: The Fever had their greatest capturing proportion from the sphere (56.5%) since 2022 and their most blocks (11) since 2014. It was additionally one in all Clark’s greatest video games in her younger WNBA profession: 23 factors on 7-of-11 capturing, 9 assists, 8 rebounds and a couple of blocks.
Clark grew to become the primary rookie in WNBA historical past to have at the least 20 factors, 9 assists and eight rebounds in a sport. Two different No. 1 picks, Candace Parker and A’ja Wilson, had 20/8/8 video games as rookies.
What we realized: As we have seen the previous two video games, when the Fever’s offense is working, it is fairly good. In each video games, additionally they had their moments on protection, and that would be the key consider whether or not they make the playoffs.
Clark broke information all through her senior season at Iowa, and he or she’s already doing noteworthy stuff via 15 video games her WNBA rookie yr, too. She has had 5 video games during which she has had at the least 20 factors, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. That is essentially the most within the WNBA this yr, and the second most by a rookie in WNBA historical past. The one rookie who had extra 20/5/5 video games was Indiana’s Tamika Catchings in 2002.
Clark additionally has 40 3-pointers via 15 video games as a rookie, which solely three different gamers have finished, together with Indiana teammate Kelsey Mitchell. Clark is the quickest participant in WNBA historical past to succeed in 200 factors, 75 assists and 75 rebounds.
“The longer she’s within the league, she’s getting an increasing number of snug,” Indiana coach Christie Sides stated. “She’s having these moments along with her new teammates, and we simply must continue to grow and constructing on that.” — Michael Voepel
Up subsequent: vs. Washington Mystics on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
Angel Reese on officiating: ‘I suppose some folks bought a particular whistle’
Angel Reese says her flagrant 1 on Caitlin Clark was a “basketball play” and voices some frustration with the officiating.
Ahead | 6-foot-3 | Sport log | Stats
Final trip: Reese had 11 factors, 13 rebounds and 5 assists because the Sky fell 91-83 at Indiana on Sunday. It was Reese’s seventh double-double, essentially the most of any Sky rookie in historical past. Retired star heart Sylvia Fowles, the WNBA’s all-time chief in double-doubles, beforehand held the Chicago rookie document with six, set in 2008.
Reese’s seven consecutive video games with double-digit rebounds additionally set a WNBA rookie document. However Reese was irritated by foul calls in Sunday’s sport, as she completed with 5. She additionally did not agree with being known as for a flagrant foul 1 towards Indiana’s Clark, however the contact she inadvertently made with Clark’s head on a shot-block try mainly made that improve computerized.
What we realized: Chicago has misplaced 4 video games in a row, all by single digits. Whereas that is irritating, it reveals that the Sky are competing fairly effectively, even when they don’t seem to be getting the outcomes they need.
Reese’s performances this season have been constant, and so much like how she performed in school. That is largely fairly good. She is an elite rebounder, however she should maintain engaged on her capturing proportion. Sunday, she was 4-of-13 from the sphere (30.7%), and for the season she’s capturing 37.1%. — Voepel
Up subsequent: vs. Dallas Wings on Thursday (midday ET)
Heart | 6-foot-7 | Sport log | Stats
Final trip: Cardoso had 10 factors, 10 rebounds and a couple of assists within the Sky’s 91-83 loss at Indiana on Sunday. She was 4-of-11 from the sphere (36.4%), which is low for her; she is capturing 48.9% for the season.
Cardoso and Reese grew to become the primary rookie teammates to get double-doubles in the identical sport since 2008, when the Minnesota Lynx’s Candice Wiggins and Charde Houston did it. Contemplating how each Reese and Cardoso have performed to this point, it appears probably we’ll see extra twin double-doubles from them this season.
What we realized: The Sky rookie submit gamers had good video games, however the Fever’s barely older posts did higher. Second-year professional Aliyah Boston and third-year professional NaLyssa Smith mixed for 34 factors, 21 rebounds, 6 assists and seven blocks for Indiana. — Voepel
Up subsequent: vs. Dallas Wings on Thursday (midday ET)
Aaliyah Edwards assaults the rim and banks in a Mystics and-1
Aaliyah Edwards assaults the rim and banks in a Mystics and-1.
Ahead | 6-foot-3 | Sport log | Stats
Final trip: What’s this? A profitable streak? Certainly, after beginning the season 0-12, the Mystics bought their second victory in a row Friday, beating the visiting Chicago Sky. Edwards had 16 factors on 6-of-7 capturing from the sphere, plus a team-high 9 rebounds. She added 3 blocked photographs and a couple of assists.
What we realized: Brittney Sykes was out once more for Friday evening’s sport after a short return to the lineup. Sykes was injured within the second sport of the season in Could, then got here again with 18 factors in Tuesday’s win on the Atlanta Dream. However Sykes suffered a sprained left foot vs. the Dream and is now anticipated to be out at the least one other two weeks.
Even with that disappointment and the continued absence of injured heart Shakira Austin (who has performed simply six video games), Washington has began to search out its groove — and Edwards has so much to do with that. The No. 6 choose in April’s draft, Edwards has scored in double figures in 4 of her previous six video games and is averaging 9.1 PPG. — Michael Voepel
Up subsequent: at Indiana Fever on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
Ahead | 6-foot-2 | Sport log | Stats
Final trip: Jackson had 16 factors, 3 rebounds and a couple of assists as she performed 34 minutes within the Sparks’ 87-74 loss at Atlanta on Sunday. She was 7-of-13 from the sphere, and it was the second time this season she has had back-to-back double-digit scoring video games.
Jackson had 19 factors and 10 rebounds Friday at Minnesota.
What we realized: This was essentially the most factors (32) that Brink and Jackson have mixed to attain in a WNBA sport to this point of their rookie season. However coach Curt Miller’s greatest concern was protection, particularly within the fourth quarter when the Sparks have been outscored 27-13. — Voepel
Up subsequent: at Connecticut Solar on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
Ahead | 6-foot-4 | Sport log | Stats
Final trip: After being held scoreless Friday at Minnesota, Brink had 16 factors Sunday in an 87-74 loss at Atlanta. She additionally had 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a couple of steals. She made 6 of 13 photographs from the sphere, her second-most makes. She was 7-of-12 vs. Dallas on Could 26.
After getting at the least one block in her first 12 WNBA video games, Brink has not blocked a shot in her previous two video games.
What we realized: The Sparks bought what appeared on the time like a confidence-building victory over Las Vegas on June 9. That was a terrific consequence proper earlier than seven consecutive video games on the street, however the Sparks have misplaced the primary three of these. — Voepel
Up subsequent: at Connecticut Solar on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV)