What is going to Clark, Reese, Jackson, extra do for a WNBA encore?

Yr 1 was record-setting for the WNBA’s 2024 rookie class. What would possibly its second season have in retailer?

Partially as a result of prolonged common season (the league went to a 40-game schedule in 2023), rookie All-Stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese mixed to set rookie information for factors (Clark), rebounds (Reese) and assists (Clark). Each Clark’s help common and Reese’s rebound common additionally have been the best ever for first-year WNBA gamers — and in Reese’s case, a WNBA document no matter expertise.

Past Clark and Reese, the 2024 draft produced 4 different gamers who averaged no less than seven factors per sport final season: the Los Angeles Sparks duo of Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, Reese’s Chicago Sky teammate Kamilla Cardoso, and Aaliyah Edwards of the Washington Mystics.

With a 12 months of WNBA expertise and a full offseason behind them, plus further veteran assist for a number of of final 12 months’s high rookies, let’s take a look at how we will count on these gamers to develop and enhance on the weaker spots of their sport throughout the 2025 marketing campaign, which begins Friday.

Extra weapons for Clark

Within the wake of Clark being named Rookie of the Yr, incomes All-WNBA first-team honors and main the Indiana Fever to the playoffs for the primary time since 2016, her workforce turned a popular vacation spot in free company. Indiana loaded up with two of the highest gamers to alter groups in six-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner and 2019 Defensive Participant of the Yr Natasha Howard.

With these additions, Clark enters the season as the favorite for MVP at ESPN BET, forward of three-time MVP A’ja Wilson and 2024 MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier. If Clark have been to win MVP, she can be the least skilled winner since Candace Parker in her rookie season in 2008.

It took Wilson and Breanna Stewart, who’ve mixed to win 5 of the previous seven MVPs, till Yr 3 within the league to succeed in that stage. And neither needed to take down a winner in her prime as established as Wilson is. The 12 months earlier than Stewart gained for the primary time in 2018, Sylvia Fowles gained her solely MVP at age 31. Elena Delle Donne, the MVP the 12 months earlier than Wilson gained for the primary time in 2020, was unable to take part throughout that “wubble” season — with its neutral-site setting — as a result of medical issues.

Realistically, I might take into account each Wilson and Collier extra prone to win MVP, however Clark’s standing as favourite is indicative of the expectations for her second WNBA season. To a level, Clark’s monster efficiency over the past 20 video games of her rookie 12 months (22.3 factors, 10.0 assists, 5.7 rebounds per sport) may be tough to take care of — for good causes.

As a result of the Fever added two scoring threats in Bonner (15.0 PPG final season) and Howard (17.6 PPG) to their beginning 5, plus sixth lady Sophie Cunningham (8.4 PPG in 2024 however double figures the earlier two seasons), there can be fewer performs to go round. Primarily based on my projected rotation for Indiana, gamers’ utilization charges might want to drop a mean of three% from what we might in any other case count on.

Though that change may not be distributed equally, the Fever absolutely need to take a number of the load off Clark, who ranked second within the WNBA in whole minutes as a rookie (1,416), behind solely Arike Ogunbowale. On the flip facet, that might produce higher effectivity for Clark. She shot 39% on catch-and-shoot 3s final season, per GeniusIQ monitoring, as in comparison with 32.5% on pull-up makes an attempt. Clark took greater than twice as many pull-up 3s (231, simply probably the most within the league) as catch-and-shoot ones (114). Night out that ratio might assist Clark enhance in an space that already was a power.

Clark’s greatest leap might in the end be within the playoffs. Because the No. 6 seed, Indiana was swept by the third-seeded Connecticut Sun with out getting a house sport final season. With Bonner and Howard, the Fever are actually favorites to earn home-court benefit within the opening spherical and win a playoff sequence for the primary time since reaching the 2015 WNBA Finals. Clark has all the time shined on the largest levels and now has a workforce able to getting her there as a professional.

Raised expectations for Reese

Over the previous 12 months, Reese has thrived off low expectations for her individually and her groups. After slipping to the No. 7 decide of the WNBA draft, Reese joined a Sky workforce that was anticipated to be among the many league’s worst after buying and selling All-Star Kahleah Copper. Propelled by Reese’s All-Star debut, Chicago as an alternative stayed within the hunt for a playoff spot till the ultimate week of the season.

That paled compared to the shock Reese’s Rose BC workforce pulled off in Unequalled this spring. Ranked final in my preseason projections — which have been primarily based on WNBA play and never the 3-on-3 format utilized by Unequalled — Rose went 8-6 to complete second within the standings and gained the inaugural Unequalled championship. Though Reese was unable to compete within the playoffs as a result of a hand damage, she gained Defensive Participant of the Yr.

Now, Reese can hope to get the Sky again to the playoffs after a two-year absence. Having added veteran guards Ariel Atkins and Courtney Vandersloot this offseason, Chicago has been given 50-50 odds of finishing in the top eight at ESPN BET. With Atkins and Vandersloot, plus fellow newcomers Rebecca Allen and Kia Nurse, the Sky will put extra fashionable ground spacing round Reese and Cardoso within the frontcourt after trying simply 14.9 3-pointers per sport final season, greater than three fewer than another WNBA workforce.

Particularly, Vandersloot’s playmaking capacity ought to profit Reese by setting her up for easier finishes. Reese made 44% of her potential help alternatives final season, per GeniusIQ. On self-created pictures with out an help alternative, Reese shot simply 35%, producing the bottom efficient discipline objective share for any participant with no less than 100 makes an attempt, in line with GeniusIQ.

Improved spacing additionally will assist give Cardoso extra room to function within the put up. Per GeniusIQ, Cardoso’s 11.2 post-ups per 100 possessions as a rookie ranked third most amongst WNBA regulars, behind Brittney Griner and Tina Charles. Cardoso was productive in two preseason video games in opposition to the Minnesota Lynx, combining for 23 factors, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks in 42 minutes of motion.

About the one draw back for Reese is that an improved Sky offense might imply fewer rebound alternatives after she joined Yolanda Griffith as simply the second participant in league historical past to common no less than 5 offensive rebounds per sport final season. That is a tradeoff Reese will certainly take.

Plum joins Jackson, Brink

Like Chicago and Indiana, Los Angeles was aggressive in free company, buying and selling the No. 2 draft decide as a part of a three-team deal that landed Kelsey Plum with the Sparks through sign-and-trade. That would imply a smaller position on offense for Jackson, who completed third amongst rookies at 13.4 PPG.

Nonetheless, Jackson is the preseason favorite for Most Improved Player at ESPN BET, with two different 2024 draft picks (Edwards and Cardoso) within the high 5. That will mark a change from current precedent. Jonquel Jones in 2017 was the final second-year participant to be named Most Improved Participant, although Jones was the third sophomore to win in a four-year span again then.

Los Angeles provides Plum to a workforce that returns six of its seven main scorers, with solely Lexie Brown (traded to the Seattle Storm) lacking. The Sparks additionally might get full seasons from Odyssey Sims, a late-season pickup, and Azura Stevens, who missed half of 2024 as a result of left arm surgical procedure. Los Angeles additionally expects to get Brink again across the one-year anniversary of the left ACL tear she suffered June 18.

The No. 2 decide final 12 months, Brink was off to a sluggish begin offensively, capturing 40% from the sector. However her dimension made the 6-foot-4 Brink one of many league’s high rim protectors from day one. The 9% of opponent 2-point makes an attempt Brink blocked have been far and away most within the league, with no person else cracking even 7%. Having her again on the court docket ought to assist the Sparks enhance a protection that ranked tenth on a per-possession foundation.

With Plum providing one other ballhandling possibility, Jackson’s improvement as a shooter might take middle stage in Yr 2. Jackson made 35% of her 3s as a rookie, up from 31% profession in school and 34% in her senior 12 months at Tennessee. If Jackson can preserve or enhance on that capturing, Los Angeles’ offense could possibly be tough to cease.

Edwards a part of youth motion

In contrast to the opposite groups within the 2024 lottery, the Mystics did not load up this offseason. Washington went the opposite course, buying and selling Atkins to Chicago and veteran Karlie Samuelson to the Lynx. Remarkably, Edwards already has the fifth-longest tenure of any Mystics participant.

The offseason makeover has left Washington heavy within the frontcourt. The Mystics have two starting-caliber facilities in Shakira Austin and Stefanie Dolson — who teamed up within the beginning 5 when Austin was wholesome final season — together with back-to-back first-round picks at energy ahead in Edwards and rookie Kiki Iriafen. Emily Engstler and Sika Kone, who performed properly late final season, are additionally within the combine.

Sadly, that depth already has been examined by accidents. Austin is day-to-day with a proper leg damage, whereas Edwards has been sitting out for the reason that begin of Could as a result of a decrease again contusion. The Mystics introduced Edwards can be reevaluated in two weeks, placing her availability for the season opener in query.

Assuming Edwards returns quickly, we’ll see whether or not she will be able to translate the abilities that led her to an unlikely run to the finals of Unequalled’s 1-on-1 event. Edwards took down two No. 1 seeds — Stewart and Ogunbowale — within the tourney in addition to All-Star Allisha Gray. Edwards additionally shot 56% in Unequalled video games. Though her 49% capturing was second within the WNBA final season amongst rookies behind Cardoso, Edwards must shoot a excessive share to be environment friendly as a result of she would not make 3s (0-for-7 final season) and infrequently will get to the foul line.