WNBA ROTY FUTURES: BEST ODDS AND PICKS – JULY 2024
WNBA ROTY FUTURES BEST ODDS AND PICKS – JULY 2024 — Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our WNBA coverage here at Godzilla Wins. With the league on hiatus due to the Olympics, it is a great time to discuss where things stand in the association regarding the players with the best Rookie of the Year odds.
Last season, Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston took home the hardware, receiving all 60 votes in the process. Boston averaged 14.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest. Additionally, she shot a league-best 57.8 percent from the field, becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to lead the association in that category.
Furthermore, Boston led all rookies in several other categories, including points, rebounds, steals, blocks, and minutes per game. Just for good measure, let’s also remember that she was the first rookie in league history to record at least 550 points and 325 rebounds in a season.
With that being said, will an Indiana Fever player win the award for the second straight season?
Let’s see who is vying for the hardware in what has shaped up to be a two-player race.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of July 24, 2024
Top WNBA ROTY Odds: Caitlin Clark (-1800)
For the second straight season, the Indiana Fever had the first pick in the WNBA Draft. And for the second consecutive season, they used that selection on an exceptionally talented player, selecting Caitlin Clark.
After becoming the all-time leading scorer in college basketball history, Clark’s impact was felt even before she played her first game. As many of us know, after the team selected Clark, it was reported that Indiana would air 36 of its 40 games on national television.
Although transitioning to the pro level has involved some adjustments, Clark has already produced some memorable moments in her rookie campaign. One of those special moments occurred in a game against the Dallas Wings on July 17.
Caitlin Clark – Featured Game
In that contest, Clark finished with 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting overall and 2-of-9 from beyond the arc. The first-year guard also handed out 19 assists and collected six rebounds. In addition to her impressive stat line, Clark broke the WNBA record for most assists in a game and became just the second rookie in league history to record over 200 assists in a season. Ticha Penicheiro finished with 225 assists in 1998. Unfortunately, it was not enough to prevent the Wings from pulling away in the fourth quarter for a 101-93 victory.
On the season, Clark leads the Fever in points (17.1), assists (8.2), and steals (1.5). In the spirit of objectivity, I will mention that Clark averages 5.6 turnovers per contest while shooting 40.5 percent from the field. At the same time, one can presume that her efficiency and turnover rate will improve as she acclimates herself to the pro game.
As is the case with A’ja Wilson dominating the MVP race, Clark is head and shoulders above the field in the Rookie of the Year conversation. Even more important, Clark and Boston could help lead the Fever to its first playoff appearance since 2016.
Simply put, barring a major drop-off in production during the second half of the season, an Indiana Fever player is slated to win the award for the second straight season.
Second-Best WNBA ROTY Odds: Angel Reese (+800)
Angel Reese finished her final year at LSU with averages of 18.6 points and 13.4 boards per contest. Unfortunately, her team’s repeat bid came up short against Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament.
Reese was selected by the Chicago Sky at the No. 7 spot in this year’s draft. Like Clark, Reese has made a name for herself with her respective team. She is Chicago’s third-leading scorer, averaging 13.5 points per contest. Reese also leads the team and the league in rebounds, with 12 boards per contest.
Angel Reese – Featured Game
Ironically, one of Reese’s standout performances took place against the Indiana Fever on June 23 — a contest that averaged 2.3 million viewers on ESPN. Indiana led 82-70 with 6:38 left in regulation and appeared to have the game in hand.
From that point on, though, the Sky went on an 18-5 run to come out on top 88-87. During that improbable stretch, Reese had 10 points and five rebounds. Reese finished the contest with 25 points and 16 boards on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor and 9-of-11 from the charity stripe.
Reese became the first rookie player since A’ja Wilson to notch at least 25 points and 15 rebounds in a game. Additionally, she joined Wilson as the only two WNBA players to record multiple 15-point, 15-rebound outings this season.
But the story does not stop there for the seventh overall pick. Reese also broke Candace Parker’s double-double record, as she posted 15 consecutive double-doubles from June 4 through July 11. That impressive streak came to a halt in the team’s 81-67 loss to the New York Liberty on July 13, as New York opted to swarm Reese with multiple defenders in the final seconds to prevent her from reaching double figures.
Clark and Reese’s paths crossed multiple times during their respective collegiate careers. Based on what we have witnessed thus far, these two future stars will battle it out for multiple awards throughout their professional careers as well. Even more importantly, they will continue to play a significant role in increasing the viewership interest of women’s basketball.
