WNBA awards – Syndication Server

2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year picks and predictions

Analyzing the WNBA Rookie of the Year award picks and prediction odds, including expert predictions and best bets.

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Indiana Fever G Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky F Angel Reese have developed a spicy rivalry stemming from college over the last few years. Their ascension in the WNBA has not only elevated each other’s game, but it has helped the league and its meteoric rise. The W just signed a $2.2 billion media deal with ESPN, Amazon and NBC, which quadrupled its previous deal.

These 2 are here to stay, and some have even compared them to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird’s rivalry that elevated the NBA in the early 80’s. Clark, who is averaging 17.1 PPG, 8.2 APG and 5.8 RPG, just broke the league record with 19 assists Wednesday night. Reese etched her name in her own piece of history with 15 straight double-doubles.

Clark is the overwhelming favorite (-2000) to win WNBA Rookie of the Year, per BetMGM Sportsbook. Honestly, it’ll be difficult to capture the award away from her, but here is how it could happen.

Clark has taken a well-publicized beating on the court. She’s averaging 35.2 minutes a night, and her 3-point percentage has decreased from 37.8% at Iowa last year to 32.7% in the W. She has become more of a facilitator recently, averaging 12.4 dimes per game over the last 7. So it could take an injury or a decrease in performance to open the door for Reese, but she’s still knocking on the door.

Below, we analyze the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year odds from BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines and make our expert WNBA picks and predictions.

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2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at Thursday, July 18 at 2:20 p.m. ET.

G Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (-2000)
F Angel Reese, Chicago Sky (+750)
F Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks (+25000)
C Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago Sky (+25000)
F Aaliyah Edwards, Washington Mystics (+25000)

For full list, see BetMGM Sportsbook.

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WNBA Rookie of the Year best bet

F Angel Reese, Chicago Sky (+750)

Clark’s 24 points, 19 dimes and 6 boards Wednesday night lengthened her odds from -1100 to -2000 overnight, and Reese’s odds went from +575 to +750.

I would take advantage of this recency bias because Reese is quietly averaging 13.5 PPG, 12 RPG (most in league) and 1.5 steals (tied for 9th) on the season. She has also started dabbling with 3-pointers, and if she comes back from the All-Star break with more distance in her game, that only enhances what has been a great rookie season.

The Sky have also traded G Marina Mabrey to the Connecticut Sun. Mabrey averaged 14 PPG and 6.7 three-point attempts per game. That will put a bigger onus on Reese offensively.

There really isn’t anyone else to consider here. Reese’s teammate Cardoso is big, 6-foot-7 center averaging 8.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 1.2 blocks, but Reese will depreciate her value toward this award. And those numbers pale in comparison to Clark and Reese. Jackson is having a nice season at 11.2 PPG, and Edwards is at 8.6 PPG and 5.9 RPG — neither of those move the needle.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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The WNBA’s new All-WNBA voting system is perfect and the NBA should take notes

The WNBA knows exactly how to make their league interesting

Welcome to Layup Lines, our daily NBA newsletter where we’ll prep you for a tip-off of tonight’s action, from what to watch to bets to make. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every afternoon

What’s good, family. It’s Sykes, back again, with another edition of Layup Lines. Let’s chat about the WNBA’s new All-WNBA voting system.

The league unveiled a new system to recognize its best players with on Friday. Previously, voters had to pick the best player by position each year. You know how it goes — two guards, two forwards and a center. But under the new system starting this year, there are no more positions.

Instead, the panel of 56 media members voting will pick the 10 best players in the W overall regardless of their position. This is a monumental shift.

They made this change because of the league’s emphasis on positionless basketball, per Bethany Donaphin, the WNBA’s head of league operations.

“Our game continues to evolve. As greater emphasis is placed on spacing and pace of play, the players have expanded their multifaceted skill sets. This process change allows us to celebrate the best of the best going forward.”

This is huge, y’all. All-WNBA voting is important. Yes, it recognizes the best players in the league, but that’s the impact on a micro-scale. On a macro one? These selections tell the story of the league in that season. It’s documentation of where the league is at any given point in time.

Right now, basketball is positionless. There’s skill everywhere. There’s shooting everywhere. Teams are rolling out their best 5 player lineups and telling them to go win. That’s how basketball is played today across the sport. It’s only natural that voting reflects this. The WNBA got it exactly right — again.

Their counterparts on the NBA side could learn a thing or two here. If there’s one thing the W is going to do, it’s innovate. They’re going to make changes where they see changes are needed.

They’ve ditched conferences for their playoffs. They’ve gotten rid of the single-elimination format in early playoff rounds. They’ve successfully launched an in-season tournament. And now they’ve done this.

These are all things that they only just discuss on the NBA side of things. The biggest risk they’ve taken was the NBA Play-In tournament and that was mostly out of necessity because of the league’s bubble situation.

Obviously, these are two different leagues in two different spaces. The NBA is 75 years old — the W is only 26. And it’s much smaller with a much shorter season, so making changes is a bit easier.

But still, when it comes to innovation and creativity? The W has its counterpart beat by a country mile. Hopefully, one day it starts to catch up.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

The homie Bryan Kalbrosky had an amazing interview with Jamal Crawford today and, in it, there are a bunch of gems. But the thing that really caught me off guard from it was Crawford saying he could’ve played “even longer” if he knew what he knows today earlier in his career.

And I’m just like…even longer? Didn’t this dude drop 51 points with the Suns at 38 years old? Here’s what he had to say about it.

“There are so many things I didn’t know that I’m giving to him and my team. That’s part of our routine. We feel ready for whatever movement might come. When you’re on the court, you’re just reacting. When you’re young, you think you can never get hurt. You’re like: “Get hurt? I just grew a new muscle. I don’t get hurt.” I don’t want them to overthink it and scare them. But I want it in the back of their mind and just introduce them to how to take care of their body. It’s so important. I would’ve played even longer if I knew the stuff I know now.”

Somebody needs to invent time travel, ASAP.

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico.)

Sky (-6.5, -260) vs. Mystics (+6.5), O/U 159.5, 8 PM ET

It’s rare that you see the Washington Mystics being this big of an underdog, but they’re literally playing the best team in the WNBA so it makes sense. But the Mystics are pretty hot, too. They’ve won two straight games and are 4-1 in their last 5 with a win over the Aces. I’m taking Washington +6.5 tonight.

Shootaround

— It might be going quiet on the Brittney Griner front for a while, but don’t give up hope.

— Watch Jayson Tatum block his son’s shot into oblivion.

— Speaking of Tatum, here’s a wide-ranging interview via Celtics Wire where he talks about the C’s offseason.

— The Lakers, Jazz and Knicks might be up to something.

That’s all, folks! Talk to you next week. Remember: Monday, Wednesday and Fri

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