The WNBA’s 2024 Rookies are a League of their Own
This year’s WNBA draft included many amazing players such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, Aliyah Edwards, and many more. This draft class was commendable for the many players' talents in various positions, which is reflected in the many records broken by rookies this season.
On July 10, Caitlin Clark hit 19 assists in the Indiana Fever’s game against the Dallas Wings, setting the WNBA record. She’s also the first rookie to achieve a triple-double, which is when a player reaches a score of ten or more in at least three statistical categories (points, free throws, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, etc.) in a single game.
Angel Reese, a rookie playing for the Chicago Sky, also has shown her prowess on the court. She set the record for most consecutive double-doubles, which is when a player reaches a score of more than ten in two statistical categories, with her streak ending at 15 in her game against the Las Vegas Aces. In total, she has attained 16 double-doubles in her first 22 games as a rookie, a statistic that puts her behind no one but Shaquile O’Neil who had 19 in his first 22 games.
This season, the WNBA has seen an increase in ratings and has had the highest number of viewers than it’s had in more than a decade. WNBA Games have seen an upsurge of viewership by 226 percent, says sports writer, Doug Feinberg. It’s also been noted that in-person audiences have increased 14 percent. These massive increases are attributed to the rookie class of 2024 bringing their many fans, who had followed them in their collegiate careers, with them to the WNBA.
These rookies have brought an increasing amount of attention to the league as a whole, even sparking discussions of expanding the league with more teams. In May, it was announced two new teams would be joining the WNBA — one in San Francisco, The Golden State Valkyries, which is expected to join the league by 2025 and another in Toronto, expected to join the league by 2026. This will be the first extension to the league since 2008.
The 2024 rookies are creating more space for other great women to follow in their footsteps. You can show support by going to see a WNBA game, an inspiring experience for women and girls alike!
Zuri Primos is an Intern for Hope Magazine. She is a student at Dillard University and the Editor-in-chief of the Dillard University student paper, the Courtbouillon.