An AP voting panel has determined that Caitlin Clark is leading Angel Reese in the battle for Rookie of the Year.

Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark showed her prowess during a WNBA basketball game against the New York Liberty on July 6, 2024, in Indianapolis, as captured in an image by Darron Cummings for the Associated Press.

In WNBA news, Caitlin Clark is currently leading Angel Reese in the race for Rookie of the Year halfway through the season, according to a national panel of voters who also rank the AP Power Poll weekly.

Clark and Reese have both had remarkable rookie seasons, making them the first rookie duo to earn All-Star team spots since 2014. Their performances have significantly boosted ratings, attendance, and merchandise sales for the league, making them strong contenders for the prestigious award.

At this midpoint in the season, Clark holds a slight edge over Reese with a 9-5 vote from the 15-member panel, with one member abstaining.

“Today, I would lean towards Clark, mainly because her team has one more win overall and she holds a 2-1 lead head-to-head,” commented voter Christy Winters-Scott, a basketball analyst for the Mystics. “However, this could change as the WNBA season progresses. It’s been a pleasure to witness the rapid professional growth of both players in such a short time.”

Clark leads the WNBA in points accounted for (points plus points off assists), tallying 713 according to ESPN. The Indiana Fever’s top draft pick also made history as the first rookie to achieve a triple-double in a game, achieved during a victory over New York.

Meanwhile, Reese broke the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles with 13, surpassing Candace Parker’s previous mark of 12 spanning the 2009 and 2010 seasons. She currently leads the league in rebounding with an average of 11.9 per game.

In addition, the panel unanimously selected Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson as the frontrunner for Player of the Year at this stage of the season. Wilson, who felt she deserved the award last year, has been even more dominant this season, averaging 27.0 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game.

Wilson is poised to potentially break the record for the highest average