Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s rivalry actually predates the NBA. The two went toe-to-toe in the 2023 NCAA National Championship, where Reese and LSU triumphed over Clark and Iowa State. Reese famously mocked Clark’s ‘You can’t see me’ gesture during the game.

Since then, the two players have made the jump to the WNBA, and have set the league on fire. A large part of the WNBA’s rise in popularity has been thanks to their incredible performances in their rookie years. The two even made it to the WNBA All-Star game this year, an incredible achievement for two rookies in the league.

Their rivalry has not slowed down since entering the WNBA, as they have been going at it and bringing physicality against each other. In one of their encounters,  Reese inadvertently smacked Clark in the head. And rather than apologize, she actually took a shot at Clark after the game for getting calls from the referees.

Clark has been having a phenomenal season, averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. As for Reese, she isn’t too far behind in her performances, averaging 13.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game.

Clark currently leads Reece in almost every statistical category except rebounding. This dominance from Clark should already cement her as the favorite to win Rookie of the Year, as the WNBA regular season is about to come to an end very soon after the Olympics break is over and the season resumes.

The Rookie of the Year race may just be a formality at this point, as Clark has pulled ahead of Reese. However, there are many players in the league and many analysts who believe Reese’s double-double streak should be taken into consideration when casting their votes. It will be an interesting outcome to a hotly contested race for WNBA Rookie of the Year.