WNBA Rookie Rankings: Caitlin Clark outduels Angel Reese to retake lead, Kamilla Cardoso cracks top five
Clark had one of her best games of the season in a win over Reese, Cardoso and the Chicago Sky
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark earned the No. 1 spot in the CBS Sports WNBA Rookie Rankings by continuing to prove how dangerous she is offensively. The Fever are fresh off a 91-83 victory against the Chicago Sky, and the former Iowa star played a major part with her eighth 20+ point effort of the season.
The No. 2 place belongs to Chicago forward Angel Reese, who continues to be one of the finest players to watch and could soon make history with the longest double-double run for a WNBA rookie.
Meanwhile, Reese’s teammate Kamilla Cardoso cracked the list this week at No. 4 as the former South Carolina star has excelled since making her WNBA debut on June 1. Cardoso is a threat in the paint, as is Washington Mystics’s Aaliyah Edwards, who once again earned a position on the list.
The Los Angeles Sparks have two impressive rookies in Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson. The pair were not able to make the list together this week, but Jackson preserved her No. 3 slot by continuing to prove how efficient she can be. Brink still receives an unofficial shoutout after 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals against the Atlanta Dream on Monday.
Here are the latest CBS Sports WNBA Rookie Rankings:
1. Caitlin Clark
Clark has experienced ups and downs this season, but she had one of her greatest performances thus far Sunday. She flirted with a triple-double in the Fever’s win over the Sky with a game-high 23 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. It was an effective outing as well as she went 7-for-11 from the field.
Clark’s shooting range is astounding, but so is her ability to read the defense and execute imaginative passes. She has now registered five games of 15+ points, 5+ assists and 5+ rebounds. No other rookie has achieved that since Breanna Stewart did so in 2016 with the Seattle Storm.
Caitlin Clark buries the step back trey 🏹 pic.twitter.com/ExbaPC4jyF
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 16, 2024
2. Angel Reese
Reese might be the most consistent rookie his season and is presently on a remarkable statistical streak. Despite the loss to Indiana on Sunday, Reese recorded 11 points and 13 rebounds for her sixth consecutive double-double. That is tied for the longest streak by a rookie along with Tina Charles in 2010 and Cindy Brown in 1998.
Charles posted 22 double-doubles as a rookie in 2010, and Reese is on course to tie or beat that mark. The former LSU star is averaging 12.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, earning her the league’s fourth-leading rebounder. Reese has seven double-doubles already with 27 games left in the regular season.
HOW, Angel?!#skytown pic.twitter.com/lk7WljbdfO
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) June 15, 2024
3. Rickea Jackson
Jackson recorded her first career double-double against the Minnesota Lynx on Friday, as she totaled 19 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 60% from the field. That was her first 30-minute game of the season. Jackson followed that effort with 16 points against the Atlanta dream, marking her eighth double-digit game in the WNBA.
The former Tennessee standout has been extremely effective for a rookie, as she shoots 47.3% on the season to rank among the top 20 players in the WNBA.
Rickea caught ya napping. 👀@iamthathooper x #TheNewClassic pic.twitter.com/jVoSP8wOUb
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) June 16, 2024
4. Kamilla Cardoso
Cardoso made her WNBA debut on June 1, and just seven games into her rookie season she is already turning eyebrows. The 6-foot-7 center is averaging 8.4 points in under 23 minutes per game and has scored in double figures four consecutive games.
The 2024 NCAA champion is fresh off her first double-double as she collected 10 points and 10 rebounds against Indiana on Sunday. Cardoso is 29th in the WNBA with 6.3 points in the paint per game, proving to be a powerful inside force like she was at South Carolina.
The intensity is high EARLY 🔥
Kamilla Cardoso is aggressive on the O boards to start the contest
đź“ş Chicago-Indiana on CBSÂ pic.twitter.com/9ZPkDBOe3n
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 16, 2024
5. Aaliyah Edwards
Edwards fouled out during the Mystics’ 83-81 win over the Sky, but she was still a big contributor with 16 points, nine rebounds, two assists, a steal and three blocks. Her career-high this season is 23 points, the second-highest single-game point total for a rookie behind Clark, who’s surpassed that mark three times already.
In less than 24 minutes per match, Edwards is scoring 9.1 points per game, and 6.4 of those come from the paint. She is one spot above Cardoso in that category. Edwards is also No. 15 in the league in rebounds with 6.4 per game.
Aaliyah Edwards has really found her way, not just the rolls but the drives are essential. pic.twitter.com/PWZwJXkPKx
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) June 8, 2024