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Clark and Reese headline the rookie class, but there have been several other outstanding performers.
Every year, WNBA head coaches vote on the All-Rookie Team, an honor bestowed upon the five most impactful first-year players each season. This draft class has been particularly stacked, and there are lots of compelling candidates who could have made the five-member All-Rookie squad.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have dominated the national conversation, but here’s the full list of who should be named the All-Rookie team.
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
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Stats: 19.5 points (41.7% FG, 34.1% from three), 8.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 5.6 turnovers, 1.3 steals
Caitlin Clark has had a rookie season for the ages. She’s led the league in assists, broke the record for most assists in a single season by a player in WNBA history, and set a new all-time record for most assists in a single game. Last week, she became the all-time leading scorer among rookies, and since the Olympic break, she’s been the league’s third-leading scorer.
Most importantly, her play has resulted in winning basketball. She’s not single-handedly responsible for the Fever’s success, but she has been the head of the snake from a playmaking standpoint, and has been the team’s second-leading scorer this season. Clark somehow managed to not only meet expectations, but she’s actually exceeded them, too.
Angel Reese, Chicago Sky
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Stats: 13.6 points (39.1% FG), 13.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.2 turnovers, 1.3 steals
Angel Reese showed in her first year in the WNBA that she’s a generational rebounder and probably should have been drafted higher than No. 7 overall. Reese finished the season with the highest per-game rebounding average of any player in league history, while also being the second-leading scorer in the rookie class.
There’s undeniable room for growth in Angel Reese’s game, namely her touch around the rim, as she shot just 39.1% from the field in her rookie year. Still, Reese’s energy helped made her the Sky’s most impactful player, according to plus-minus numbers. She notably finished the year with the best on-off point differential of any WNBA player (minimum two games played). Chicago was 22.5 points better with her on the court than off the court per 100 possessions — effectively, the Sky were a completely different team when she sat.
Reese’s season was cut short due to a wrist fracture, but her impact in her first season was undeniable.
Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks
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Stats: 13.2 points (45.6% FG, 34.5% from three)
Rickea Jackson has had a great rookie season from start to finish, but she’s been particularly effective in an expanded role since the Olympic break, averaging 16.1 points per game on 46.4% shooting since play resumed in mid-August.
The Sparks’ season has been underwhelming and riddled with injuries, but Jackson’s growth and efficiency on the offensive end has been a bright spot in Los Angeles all year. She scored more than 20 points in three of her last five games. Sparks head coach Curt Miller has praised Jackson’s growth and increasing willingness to compete on the defensive end.
“We talk about two rookies, and rightfully so, but Rickea’s going to be a star for a long time,” Miller said last month.
Sparks’ head coach Curt Miller gushed about rookie Rickea Jackson’s growth at shootaround today. She’s is averaging 14.8 points per game in her last 10 games:
“We talk about two rookies, and rightfully so, but Rickea’s going to be a star for a long time.” pic.twitter.com/6sjxGz3C68
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) August 20, 2024
Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago Sky
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Stats: 9.8 points (52.1% FG), 7.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 blocks
Kamilla Cardoso dealt with shoulder injury earlier this season which likely contributed in a slightly slower start to the year than she otherwise would have had.
But, the No. 3 pick took a leap in the second half of the season, averaging 12 points (59.1% shooting) and 8.1 rebounds since the Olympics, and has shown she can effectively anchor a defense, too. She leads all rookies in blocks per game, and has shown consistent growth throughout the season.
Leonie Fiebich, New York Liberty
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Stats: 6.8 points (47.5 % FG, 42.9% from three), 3.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists
The final sport on the All-Rookie team could go to either Leonie Fiebich and Aaliyah Edwards. Both have had more than solid rookie campaigns, and have had pretty comparable stats. But, Fiebich gets the edge due to her uber efficiency and given the fact she’s heavily contributed to winning basketball.
Not only is Leonie Fiebich a candidate for the All-Rookie team, she’s also a frontrunner for Sixth Player of the Year. The 24-year-old German star was a second-round draft pick in 2020, but has been an incredibly impactful addition to an already-stacked Liberty squad.
Leonie Fiebich identified three-point shooting as her greatest strength. After all, she’s shot 43.8% this season, the second-highest mark of any player in the WNBA averaging at least one made three-pointer. Since the Olympic break, that three-point figure has skyrocketed to 55%, also second-best.
Still, where she hangs her hat is on defense, and when she checks into the game a few minutes in, her focus is on that end of the floor.
“[I’m] just bringing energy, honestly, especially on defense,” Fiebich said. “Because when you play big minutes, like our starters [do], it’s cool to have somebody come in and just be energetic and pressure the ball and be aggressive on defense.”
Honorable Mentions: Aaliyah Edwards (Washington Mystics), Julie Vanloo (Washington Mystics), Jacy Sheldon (Dallas Wings)
Last year’s WNBA All-Rookie Team
Aliyah Boston, last year’s unanimous Rookie of the Year, headlined last year’s All-Rookie Team. Here’s who was named to the 2023 roster:
Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
Diamond Miller, Minnesota Lynx
Dorka Juhász, Minnesota Lynx
Jordan Horston, Seattle Storm
Li Meng, Washington Mystics
