Clark vs. Reese: Breaking down the WNBA's ROY race

It turns out Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese's rivalry was just beginning in college.

The duo has remained in the women's basketball spotlight at the next level, quickly establishing themselves as the cream of the crop in a talented group of first-year players.

Clark and Reese recently became the first pair of rookies in a decade to earn All-Star nods and are a huge reason why their respective teams are in the postseason hunt at the midway point.

"I don't think anybody else is going to enter the Rookie of the Year conversation ... that's just how good Caitlin and Angel have been, with the history they've continue to set," ESPN play-by-play commentator Ryan Ruocco told reporters, including theScore, on a conference call before All-Star Weekend.

With the league in its Olympic break, let's assess their candidacies for Rookie of the Year.

The case for Clark

It seems like Clark is rewriting the record books every other night. The Indiana Fever phenom became the fastest player to reach 400 points and 200 dimes and the ninth person in league history to post those marks in a single campaign. With 14 regular-season contests remaining, she needs just 13 assists to break Ticha Penicheiro's rookie record.

Clark finished the first half of her debut campaign in style, tallying a league-record 19 assists against the Dallas Wings. The Iowa standout also registered 24 points to become just the second player in WNBA history to have a 20-point, 15-assist game. She's the only player with a triple-double and multiple 20-plus point, 10-plus assist performances in their maiden season.

Clark is averaging 18.8 points and 10.8 assists across her last 12 appearances, leading the Fever to the league's fourth-best offense and a 7-5 mark during that span. The 22-year-old's uptick in scoring and facilitating over the past month is a testament to the adjustments she's made after some initial struggles.

Clark is much better at handling the traps, physicality, and tight coverages that gave her fits early on. With fewer doubles coming Clark's way, she's got more space to create her own shot and attack off the bounce. While turnovers remain an issue, the bulk of them come from Clark's high-risk passing style as opposed to being overwhelmed by other teams' tactics.

"When she gets blitzed on ball screens, it's a quick pass to the short roll ... She doesn't get sped up anymore," ESPN color commentator Rebecca Lobo told theScore on a conference call. "She sees the defensive coverages, and she knows how to get rid of the ball.

"It might lead to assists. It might lead to a hockey assist. It might just lead to a good play on the offensive end of the floor."

Another tweak Clark made was simply keeping her dribble alive more often whenever she probes the paint. The 6-foot floor general commands so much attention when she's handling the rock. When Clark retains possession for a few extra seconds, she may draw an extra defender and create openings in the defense.

Most importantly, Clark has developed chemistry with her co-stars. She's formed a strong pick-and-roll tandem with Aliyah Boston and frequently hits Kelsey Mitchell when she leaks out in transition. Clark's teammates are now up to speed with her tendencies and properly positioning themselves to assist their budding guard.

"Caitlin sees the floor in a way that very few have ever seen the floor," Ruocco told theScore. "As much as we talk about the shooting off the dribble and the distance - which is obviously one of one - her vision and her ability to see things develop is very uncommon."

Ruocco added: "The way she's been able to dissect, adjust, and compile information ... we're seeing the team benefit from that as well."

The case for Reese

There were questions about whether or not Reese's game would translate well to the WNBA as she'd be too small to play the five and lacked the shooting range coveted by most teams. Those concerns allowed the Chicago Sky to scoop up Reese with the No. 7 overall pick - and they're reaping the rewards.

Reese's rebounding prowess has carried over to the pro level. The Baltimore native plays with a high motor, often outworking her opponents on the glass. She consistently puts herself in an optimal position for boards and makes great reads on the ball's direction off the rim.

"It's been so cool to see her relish in people telling her she can't and she won't be successful," Candace Parker said at the ESPYs red carpet show earlier this month. "And to see her grow throughout this season has been remarkable.

"She's a rebounding machine, and we saw that in college. And I know that she took the fuel of people saying, 'Is it going to translate?' And has done just that in this early round."

Reese leads her peers in offensive boards (112), offensive rebound percentage (15.8%), and total rebound percentage (21.2%). She trails A'ja Wilson by just one board for the league's top spot but has played 59 fewer minutes than the two-time MVP.

As long as Reese stays healthy, she's got a great shot to break Yolanda Griffith's 23-year single-season record for offensive boards (162). Sylvia Fowles' average rebounding mark of 11.88 boards per contest is within the Sky forward's reach as well.

There's a misbelief that Reese's rebounding numbers are inflated because she snags a lot of her own missed shots. The former All-American is No. 1 in boards off her own field-goal attempts (23), per PBP Stats, but she'd still lead the WNBA in offensive rebounds by a fairly large margin without those extra possessions.

Reese's relentless approach creates plenty of opportunities to score on putbacks. Even though Reese is converting just 46.4% of her shots at the rim, she's racked up the third-most second-chance points (83) and seventh-most free-throw attempts (121). When Reese isn't producing at the charity stripe, she's using her quickness to finish around bigger players or sealing off her defender to establish deep post position.

Reese, who's listed Parker as one of her influences, broke the three-time WNBA champ's league record for consecutive double-doubles, notching 15 straight games of at least 10 points and 10 rebounds. Reese, Wilson, Dearica Hamby, and Napheesa Collier are the only players in the WNBA averaging a double-double. The LSU product has also flashed the ball-handling and passing skills that made her the top-ranked high school wing in her recruiting class.

Reese's tenacity extends to the defensive end, too. The reigning SEC Player of the Year won't hesitate to dive for a loose ball. She displays great instincts when jumping passing lanes and rotating as a help defender. Reese is tied for 14th in steals (34) and already has a pair of five-steal performances. She holds her own when switched onto guards in space, showing solid lateral movement and creating turnovers at the point of attack with her quick hands. Reese's defensive impact is undeniable, as Chicago allows 12.7 more points per 100 possessions when she isn't on the floor.

"I like to play defense a lot. I like to switch one through five," Reese told reporters, including theScore, during her All-Star media availability. "So just being able to be super versatile, I think that's something I wanted to do more of coming into the league."

Verdict

If the season ended today, Clark would have my vote for Rookie of the Year.

It's hard to compare them, as each brings elite skills at their respective position and has done unprecedented things in their first WNBA season.

However, one stat stands out the most: Clark has scored or assisted on 915 of the Fever's 2126 points. That's 65 clear of New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu for the league lead and approximately 43% of Indiana's total offensive output. Clark has also managed to produce such numbers despite the Fever having the most difficult strength of schedule in the first half.

"We are talking about an all-time transcendent player who is already proving to be one of the best players in the league," Ruocco told theScore. "Forget just rookies at this point. If you've watched Caitlin Clark over the last month, it is very clear that by the end of the season, we're going to be talking about whether or not she is first-team All-WNBA. That's how great she is already."