"She has separated herself": WNBA analyst Andraya Carter breaks down Caitlin Clark's impact, discusses Fever superstar's ROTY candidacy

Caitlin Clark is going to her first All-Star Game as part of Team WNBA, which will play against Team USA. The former Iowa superstar came in second to A’ja Wilson in overall votes, giving her a seat in the event. Clark will be teaming up with rival Angel Reese, her biggest challenger in the Rookie of the Year race, in the star-studded showdown.

The ROTY battle has been put on hold due to this weekend’s activities and the long break for the Paris Olympics. However, fans will relentlessly discuss who between Clark and Reese should be the deserving winner of the award. It’s a conversation that will unquestionably heat up once the season resumes in August.

Andraya Carter had this to say when asked about Caitlin Clark’s ROTY contention:

“Caitlin [Clark] has separated herself [from other ROTY contenders]. I won’t say she solidified it, but she has separated herself. Cailin’s last 10 games, averaging 18 points, 14 assists, [and] six rebounds, that is incredible! She is putting up MVP-like numbers.”

Clark’s rookie season got off to a brutal start. She had 20 points in her debut but committed 10 turnovers, breaking the single-game record for most errors by a rookie.

Indiana badly lost 92-71 to the Connecticut Sun. With the NCAA’s all-time Division 1 scoring leader running the show for Indiana, the Fever opened their campaign with a 1-8 win-loss slate.

Since then, Caitlin Clark has been better, leading the Fever to a 10-7 record. The former Hawkeye is in the top 15 in the WNBA in points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks.

In the Fever’s last game against the Dallas Wings before the long break, Clark had 24 points, 19 assists and six rebounds. She now owns the record for most dimes in a game, breaking Courtney Vandersloot’s 18 in 2020.

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Angel Reese could still win the ROTY over Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark trails Angel Reese in multiple advanced metrics. The “Chi Barbie” is second in the WNBA in rebounding and has a much bigger impact on the defensive end than Clark. Reese’s teammates have also shown that they are willing to go the extra mile for their star forward’s ROTY contention.

Team record will likely matter when the race is decided. Reese’s Chicago Sky holds a 10-14 record, virtually tied with the Fever’s 11-15 mark. Voters for the award will consider the win-loss slate, particularly if a team makes the playoffs.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are in a two-horse race for the Rookie of the Year award. Analysts and fans have made and will continue to make strong arguments for both. Time will tell if the “separation” Andraya Carter talked about in Clark’s ROTY contention will hold firm.