ESPN Reveals Why It Changed Stance On Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese

ESPN recently weighed in on some of the top rookies in the WNBA, posting its final player rankings as the regular season rounds out.

While ESPN recently had Angel Reese at No. 1 in their previous rankings, which were released on Aug. 29, they have changed course.

Caitlin Clark is now listed as the No. 1 player in the rookie rankings. They believe an improvement in the turnover category puts her over the edge. They also explained that she’s entered the realm of “lightning rod” scorers.

ESPN thinks Clark could stay at the very top of the game for a long time as she continues to improve both her scoring and playmaking.

“She has dramatically cut down on the giveaways while improving her output of passes leading to teammate buckets,” ESPN posted ($). “The result has been a vastly improved Fever attack… But to Clark’s credit, she has made it to the top of the analytics-driven list a lot faster than any of those other lightning rods (elite scorers), a place where she could stay for a long time.”

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22)

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The talented rookie is currently averaging 19.5 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. She leads the WNBA in average assists and leads the rookie class in average points.

Despite Clark leading the league with 5.6 turnovers per game, her facilitating has helped a few Fever stars thrive in the 2024 season.

Two of the many players that she’s helped flourish this season are guards Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell.

Hull currently averages 5.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. She’s one of Indiana’s most efficient scorers, shooting 44.8% from the field and 47.8% from three.

Mitchell has been a high-level scorer throughout her career, but she’s seen opportunities rise since the Fever added Clark to its roster.

The WNBA veteran currently averages 19.6 points per game, which leads the Fever.

Clark’s impact on the Fever seems to put her over Reese in the eyes of ESPN.

While Reese has been great all season, averaging 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game, Clark has shown immense improvement and is now leading Indiana to its first playoff appearance since 2016.