'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WNBA great and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley picked Angel Rees to win the Rookie of the Year award over Caitlin Clark. Fans of the Indiana Fever star were not particularly fond of her choice. Some of them even claimed that Staley chose Reese because Iowa had handed South Carolina their only loss of the past two seasons.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, Staley said that the frontrunner for the WNBA ROY is the Chicago Sky star. The three-time NCAA champion coach also warned that Clark should be right behind Reese in the race.
"If I had to pick a Rookie of the Year at this time, today, it's Angel, without a doubt. What she's been able to do, the double-doubles. But listen, the season is halfway through and Caitlin is coming," Staley said.
Trending
While Dawn Staley knew that she was going to stir some controversy, she pointed out that Caitlin Clark is coming and whoever has a better team record will likely take the award.
However, that didn't stop some of Clark's fans from taking some shots at the Gamecocks coach.
"Staley's team has lost 1 game in the past 2 seasons because Caitlin Clark dropped 41 on them. Nice try Dawn, we're familiar with your game," one fan shared.
"She literally called CC the goat after the natty and then switched up," a fan wrote.
"She's also part of the Team USA committee who doesn't want Clark on the team. Told y'all the praises she gives to CC is all for show," another fan claimed.
In the past two seasons, Dawn Staley's team has racked up an overall record of 74-1 and one NCAA championship. That lone defeat came against Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four. Clark had 41 points in Iowa's 77-73 win over South Carolina.
"They can't deceive the public no matter how hard they try. We have eyes we can see who is the better player and therefore the ROTY," a fan wrote.
"Staley's still having ptsd from 2 seasons ago," one fan commented.
"Staley still bitter over that loss! Lol," another fan remarked.
Caitlin Clark remains the heavy favorite to win WNBA Rookie of the Year
According to the latest betting odds courtesy of Oddshark, Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever is the overwhelming favorite (-750) to win the WNBA Rookie of the Year. Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky is just behind at +450, while the rest of the odds point to being a two-woman race.
Rickea Jackson of the LA Sparks, Kamilla Cardoso of the Chicago Sky and Aaliyah Edwards of the Washington Mystics are tied with the third-best odds at +25000. Clark is averaging 16.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. She's shooting 40.3% from the field and 34.0% from beyond the arc, leading the Fever to a 10-14 record.
Meanwhile, Reese is averaging 13.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. She's shooting 40.2% from the field and averaging 4.2 offensive rebounds per game.
