There is no doubt that the top two rookies so far in the 2024 WNBA season are—without ranking them—Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky.
The debate, however, intensifies when it comes to deciding which of these first-year players is superior.
Many have turned to the player efficiency rating (PER) to settle the matter. PER is an advanced statistic developed by former Memphis Grizzlies executive John Hollinger, who is now a senior NBA columnist for The Athletic.
Reese holds a higher PER than Clark by a notable margin. The Sky forward boasts a 19.8 PER through 22 games, whereas Clark has a 15.7 PER over the same number of games.
According to the Clark Report:
“PER (player efficiency rating) is an advanced stat that has been used to argue Caitlin Clark should not be WNBA Rookie of the Year. Across the top 14 all-time highest NBA PER ratings, none were point guards. Across the top 25 all-time highest WNBA PER ratings, only one was a point guard.”
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Clark’s supporters, however, argue that relying solely on PER is misleading and does not capture the full scope of her contributions. They contend that PER inherently favors larger players, making it an unfair metric in this context.
One fan protested, “They use these weird stats no one has ever heard of that favor bigs to make their case! [It’s their] only way to create their narrative.”
Another user on X (formerly Twitter) posted in disagreement, saying, “Anybody who uses that stat (PER) seriously needs to be ignored.”
A staunch Clark supporter added, “PER has always been a big person stat. Caitlin was top 3 last season at Iowa and was the only guard in the top 5.”
Another critic of PER pointed out the NBA and WNBA’s bias in favor of post players, asserting that Clark deserves not only the Rookie of the Year title but also an ESPY award for her unparalleled impact on women’s sports.
One fan blatantly called PER “one of the worst metrics for efficiency.”
Another Clark advocate dismissed PER as a “fake made-up stat.”
Despite the ongoing debate, the season is far from over.
Both Clark and Reese have ample opportunity to strengthen their cases for Rookie of the Year while also aiming to lead their teams to the playoffs. Their performances in the remaining games will undoubtedly add more fuel to this heated discussion.
