Video: Sue Bird Explains Caitlin Clark WNBA Rookie of the Year Pick Over Angel Reese

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVAugust 4, 2024

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

WNBA legend Sue Bird has a straightforward formula when it comes to picking the Rookie of the Year.

Bird said she leans more on the “eye test” over individual stats or team record, and that’s leading her to pick the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark over the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese this year.

Ken Swift @kenswiftMEGAN RAPINOE and SUE BIRD have Caitlin Clark as ROOKIE OF THE YEAR. #wnba #caitlinclark @CaitlinClark22 #feverrising pic.twitter.com/zCPFKrttzc

Reese arguably built up an early lead on Clark in the ROY race after recording a WNBA record 15 straight double-doubles. A 6-9 start was also a little better than many were expecting from the Sky, and Reese had a big role in that.

Now, Clark has closed the gap and potentially jumped ahead thanks to her and the Fever finding their footing. In her last 10 games before the midseason break, Clark averaged 18.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 11.4 assists, and that stretch includes dishing out 19 assists in a loss to the Dallas Wings.

The Fever have jumped ahead of the Sky by one game in the standings as well to give a further boost to Clark’s candidacy.

Individual awards are always subjective, and that’s particularly true with Rookie of the Year because there can be so many different ways by which to judge the contenders. One downside to Bird’s metric, though, is that any “eye test” is bound to favor a dynamic high-volume scorer and playmaker over a power forward who excels in doing the dirty work inside.

But there are certainly other factors that point to Clark as the slight favorite right now.