Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and three different candidates for the All-Rookie Staff

Yearly, WNBA head coaches vote on the All-Rookie Staff, an honor bestowed upon the 5 most impactful first-year gamers every season. This draft class has been significantly stacked, and there are many compelling candidates who might have made the five-member All-Rookie squad.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have dominated the nationwide dialog, however right here’s the complete record of who needs to be named the All-Rookie staff.

Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

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Stats: 19.5 factors (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 report for many assists in a single season by a participant in WNBA historical past, and set a brand new all-time report for many assists in a single sport. Final week, she turned the all-time main scorer amongst rookies, and because the Olympic break, she’s been the league’s third-leading scorer.

Most significantly, her play has resulted in profitable basketball. She’s not single-handedly answerable for the Fever’s success, however she has been the pinnacle of the snake from a playmaking standpoint, and has been the staff’s second-leading scorer this season. Clark someway managed to not solely meet expectations, however she’s really exceeded them, too.

Angel Reese, Chicago Sky

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Stats: 13.6 factors (39.1% FG), 13.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.2 turnovers, 1.3 steals

Angel Reese confirmed in her first 12 months within the WNBA that she’s a generational rebounder and doubtless ought to have been drafted greater than No. 7 general. Reese completed the season with the best per-game rebounding common of any participant in league historical past, whereas additionally being the second-leading scorer within the rookie class.

There’s plain room for development in Angel Reese’s sport, specifically her contact across the rim, as she shot simply 39.1% from the sphere in her rookie 12 months. Nonetheless, Reese’s vitality helped made her the Sky’s most impactful participant, in accordance with plus-minus numbers. She notably completed the 12 months with the most effective on-off level differential of any WNBA participant (minimal two video games performed). Chicago was 22.5 factors higher along with her on the courtroom than off the courtroom per 100 possessions — successfully, the Sky had been a totally totally different staff when she sat.

Reese’s season was reduce brief as a consequence of a wrist fracture, however her influence in her first season was plain.

Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks

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Stats: 13.2 factors (45.6% FG, 34.5% from three)

Rickea Jackson has had an important rookie season from begin to end, however she’s been significantly efficient in an expanded function because the Olympic break, averaging 16.1 factors per sport on 46.4% capturing since play resumed in mid-August.

The Sparks’ season has been underwhelming and riddled with accidents, however Jackson’s development and effectivity on the offensive finish has been a shiny spot in Los Angeles all 12 months. She scored greater than 20 factors in three of her final 5 video games. Sparks head coach Curt Miller has praised Jackson’s development and growing willingness to compete on the defensive finish.

“We speak about two rookies, and rightfully so, however Rickea’s going to be a star for a very long time,” Miller mentioned final month.

Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago Sky

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Stats: 9.8 factors (52.1% FG), 7.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 blocks

Kamilla Cardoso handled shoulder damage earlier this season which seemingly contributed in a barely slower begin to the 12 months than she in any other case would have had.

However, the No. 3 decide took a leap within the second half of the season, averaging 12 factors (59.1% capturing) and eight.1 rebounds because the Olympics, and has proven she will successfully anchor a protection, too. She leads all rookies in blocks per sport, and has proven constant development all through the season.

Leonie Fiebich, New York Liberty

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Stats: 6.8 factors (47.5 % FG, 42.9% from three), 3.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists

The ultimate sport on the All-Rookie staff might go to both Leonie Fiebich and Aaliyah Edwards. Each have had greater than strong rookie campaigns, and have had fairly comparable stats. However, Fiebich will get the sting as a consequence of her uber effectivity and given the actual fact she’s closely contributed to profitable basketball.

Not solely is Leonie Fiebich a candidate for the All-Rookie staff, she’s additionally a frontrunner for Sixth Participant of the Yr. The 24-year-old German star was a second-round draft decide in 2020, however has been an extremely impactful addition to an already-stacked Liberty squad.

Leonie Fiebich recognized three-point capturing as her best power. In any case, she’s shot 43.8% this season, the second-highest mark of any participant within the WNBA averaging at the least one made three-pointer. For the reason that Olympic break, that three-point determine has skyrocketed to 55%, additionally second-best.

Nonetheless, the place she hangs her hat is on protection, and when she checks into the sport a couple of minutes in, her focus is on that finish of the ground.

“[I’m] simply bringing vitality, truthfully, particularly on protection,” Fiebich mentioned. “As a result of if you play huge minutes, like our starters [do], it’s cool to have someone are available and simply be energetic and strain the ball and be aggressive on protection.”

Honorable Mentions: Aaliyah Edwards (Washington Mystics), Julie Vanloo (Washington Mystics), Jacy Sheldon (Dallas Wings)

Final 12 months’s WNBA All-Rookie Staff

Aliyah Boston, final 12 months’s unanimous Rookie of the Yr, headlined final 12 months’s All-Rookie Staff. Right 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