Will Caitlin Clark or Angel Reese have the greater WNBA legacy?

An unstoppable force and an immovable object
Compared to each other since college
The great debate
Captivating fans
Unlimited range
Burning desire
Legendary company?
A playmaker
Dishing and swishing
Improvement
Everyone wants a piece
Running over to Reese
Comfortable in her own skin
Unique
Turning up the volume
Rugged rebounder
Boundless energy
Chip on her shoulder
Her corner
Weigh in!
An unstoppable force and an immovable object

There might not be a more polarizing WNBA debate these days than the one involving Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky.

Compared to each other since college

Since their college basketball days, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have been compared to one another. They’ll always be linked, especially considering that they entered the WNBA at the same time after their memorable NCAA battles.

The great debate

We’ll analyze both players to see which will have the greater WNBA legacy when all is said and done. All statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference.

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Captivating fans

We’ll start by looking at the legacy Caitlin Clark may leave behind. It’s hard to argue that there has been a more entertaining player to watch in recent women’s basketball history than Clark. Rivals’ website believes that she’s already the best women’s basketball player who ever lived, although time will tell if that becomes the case.

Unlimited range

Barstool Sports wrote in July 2024 that Caitlin Clark was taking deeper three point shots on average than NBA stars Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard and Trae Young. Her confidence and prolific ability has made her a favorite amongst the basketball public, as no shot seems to be off limits for her.

Burning desire

Although Clark’s game is an aesthetically pleasing one from a skills perspective, she brings a competitive fire that is not often seen. Athlon Sports commented on footage revealed to the public showing Clark yelling at Indiana Fever teammates at practice as they worked on their defensive switching.

Legendary company?

USA Today wrote a piece comparing Clark’s competitive nature to the likes of LeBron James and Tom Brady. Nancy Armour wrote “It’s an asset, not a flaw,” and that assessment has proven to be accurate given the great heights Clark has reached in her career thus far.

A playmaker

Clark isn’t just a dynamic shooter from all areas of the court. She’s one of the best WNBA players at setting up her teammates for open looks.

Dishing and swishing

Former WNBA player and current analyst Rebecca Lobo believes that Clark is the best passer in the WNBA already. Marca wrote about the rate at which Clark is recording assists, which is also unfolding at a previously unforeseen clip for a rookie.

Improvement

The Fever struggled to get victories out of the gate as Clark got accustomed to the WNBA, but she’s stepped it up since the rocky start to the season. The learning curve has proven to be a pretty short one, which bodes well for her ability to get Indiana to where they want to go sooner rather than later.

Everyone wants a piece

According to Fanatics, Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever jersey sold out before the 2024 WNBA Draft, which is the first time that had ever happened. According to NBC News, coverage of the 2024 WNBA Draft set records that far exceeded anything that had previously been seen before.

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Running over to Reese

We’ve dived into the impact Clark has had and continues to have on the WNBA, and we’ll take a closer look at Angel Reese’s potential in the league. She also has an enormous following, although it might be for slightly different reasons than Clark, which is the way Reese likes it.

Comfortable in her own skin

Reese told Sports Illustrated, “I’ll take the bad guy role and I’ll continue to take that on and be that for my teammates. I know I’ll go down in history, I’ll look back in 20 years and be like the reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person, it’s because of me too, and I want y’all to realize that.”

Unique

Reese also told People, “Everybody’s always going to have an opinion, if you’re the greatest or the worst. I am who I am and I accept who I am. People are going to either love it or hate it. I think that separates you from whoever else.”

Turning up the volume

During her rookie season, Angel Reese launched her own podcast, titled 'Unapologetically Angel'. It’s an interesting move that gives her a platform to speak her mind on a variety of topics. This might allow fans to feel more connected to Reese than they would to Clark or many other WNBA players.

Rugged rebounder

On the floor, Reese has not let anything get in her way of grabbing rebounds. She set a WNBA record during the 2024 campaign by posting 15 consecutive double-doubles. It stands to reason that Reese is a candidate to improve on that mark as her career goes on.

Boundless energy

It’s pretty apparent that Reese’s drive to pursue the ball is a notch above everyone else. Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon told CBS Sports, “That’s grit and grind like we always say. It’s a will and a want to… That’s all her desire to go get a rebound and create second-chance opportunities.”

Chip on her shoulder

Perhaps the effort Reese plays with comes from a motivation stemming from the fact that she may have been overlooked. She told USA Today, “It was a blessing I dropped to seventh, putting me with these amazing teammates and amazing coaches. She (Weatherspoon) told me just believe in myself. Surprise yourself before you surprise others.”

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Her corner

While Clark figures to shoot the lights out and dazzle with dynamic passes, Reese has the ability to dominate a game in the paint with her presence and energy. This could be a good thing, considering that she will be judged on a completely different scale with regard to statistics and production.

Weigh in!

Will Caitlin Clark or Angel Reese have the more impressive WNBA legacy? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment!

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