Women’s basketball rookies make a mark in WNBA

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As the WNBA is midway through its Olympic break, let’s look at three rookies who were not named Caitlin Clark.

Rickea Jackson, fourth overall pick, 6’2” forward, Los Angeles

Season stats: 11.4 points, 3.9 rebounds

Quick note: It was recently announced that Jackson is the first female basketball player to sign a shoe deal with Skechers.

Aaliyah Edwards, sixth overall pick, 6’3” forward, Washington

Season stats: 8.7 points, 5.9 rebounds

Quick note: She is a 2024 Canadian Olympic team member and one of four current WNBA players. This is her second Olympic Games. Seattle Storm Head Coach Noelle Quinn is the team’s lead assistant coach.

Angel Reese, seventh overall pick, 6’3” forward, Chicago

Season stats: 13.5 points, 12 rebounds

Quick note: This season, the forward set a new league record for most consecutive double-doubles (15). First All-Star rookie to record a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) in Team WNBA’s win over Team USA last month in Phoenix. Reese also tied a WASG rookie record for most offensive rebounds (5) in a game.

At the WASG, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert pointed out how impressive the 2024 rookie class has been this season overall. They and the veterans have pushed the W to unprecedented viewership and popularity.

“We’re hitting the confluence of hitting so many positive elements of this league right now with generational rookies coming into the league, with the decorated veterans, with everything that’s happening in globalizing the game, and fan engagement,” she told reporters, including the MSR, before the All-Star Game.

“I think there are so many positives,” noted the Commish. “It’s not just this class of rookies. Look what we’re seeing next year, and the year after, and the year after. I mean, from what we can see in college, three years of great draft classes coming in,” she noted.

Engelbert stressed that many more folk are now seeing what’s best about the WNBA both on and off the court.

“Not only are the WNBA players the best basketball players in the world, but they also serve as role models, community ambassadors …, and symbols of empowerment for people everywhere,” she reiterated.

Finally, on the 2024 first-year group of players, “So many of this rookie class, they’re so strong, and they’re performing at the highest level,” said Engelbert. “The number of new fans we’re able to bring into this league is exponential from my expectations of what we were going to do and provide them.

“I think this rookie class has brought a lot of attention and is lifting all of our games and all of our players,” she concluded.

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