Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese continue to establish themselves as leaders and cornerstone pieces with high-level performances, despite their teams’ struggles to compete with the upper echelon of the WNBA.
We can’t deny that these two highly publicized rookies have made significant contributions as players, vocal leaders and specific targets of opposing teams.
Caitlin Clark Has First 30-Point Game
Clark scored a career-high 30 points on 7 of 16 shooting with five rebounds and six assists in a tough 88-82 loss in a rematch with the L.A. Sparks featuring rookies Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson on Tuesday night. She was one of only two players with double-digit shot attempts on her team, so she’s being given every opportunity to shine, even with a 1-7 record.
The losses aren’t a good look right now, but the WNBA has to be seeing dollar signs with the games she’s been able to produce despite being the focal point of every team’s defensive game plan. Her turnovers are still high, but her logo threes are also still in effect.
Clark is performing well enough to keep this magical ride going for a while longer with the WNBA and the attention the league is getting from mainstream sports fans.
Angel Reese First Career Double-Double
Angel Reese continues to do all of the dirty work for the Chicago Sky, who have gotten off to a respectable 2-3 start without No. 3 overall draft pick Kamilla Cardoso, who is slowly returning from a bum shoulder. Reese had another solid all-around game, with 11 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and two steals and went 3-of-3 from the charity stripe.
It was the first double-double of her young WNBA career. You already know that she will be an integral piece in the franchise when Chicago Sky and coach Teresa Witherspoon ascend to championship contender.
The Sky lost a tough game to the Seattle Storm, 77-68 on Wednesday night. It was the team’s worst loss of the season, which proves how competitive they have been, with the signature win of Reese’s career coming against the New York Liberty on May 23.
Wednesday was her signature game to date. Her 3 million IG fans and her new fan base in Chicago will be eagerly awaiting her appearance on IG Live and ready to give her all of the love and praise a “Chi Barbie” deserves.
The two most polarizing players in college and now the WNBA aren’t 10 games in, have spent very little time getting to know their teammates before being thrown into the fire and are already two of the best in the league. The celebrity hasn’t gone to their heads. If anything, it has driven them to deliver on the big stage, while still figuring out the next level.
When the two popular stars meet on June 1, it will probably be a top 3 most watched regular season WNBA game ever. That’s what everybody is waiting for.
