NCAA Star JuJu Watkins Makes Her Pick for WNBA ROTY, And It's Not Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark is one of the biggest stars in the WNBA right now, and she is currently making a strong case to run away with the Rookie of the Year nod. However, she isn't the only dynamic rookie in the league, and many people are starting to take notice.

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One person paying close attention is current NCAA and USC Trojans star JuJu Watkins, who won Breakthrough Athlete of the Year at the ESPY awards on Thursday. Watkins has been capturing the hearts and minds of fans since she arrived at USC, and the potential future WNBA ROTY has made her pick for the award in 2024.

When Watkins was asked about her pick for WNBA ROTY, she responded with, "As of right now, I got Angel Reese."

Chicago Sky rookie forward Angel Reese has been on her own impressive run at the professional level, racking up records right along with Clark. Reese currently has 15 consecutive double-doubles, which has bested the record of 12 that was previously set by WNBA legend Candace Parker in the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

Reese also became the first WNBA rookie in 2024 to secure a Player of the Week nod. Between July 2-7, Reese averaged 16.8 points per game, 14.0 rebounds per game, and 1.2 assists per game. Reese was the POTW for the Eastern Conference, joining Las Vegas Aces All-Star A'Ja Wilson for POTW for the Western Conference.

The general thought is that Clark is going to be the ROTY, especially considering she has also been posting ridiculous numbers in her rookie season. She recently became the first WNBA player to record a game with 29 points, 13 assists, five rebounds, five 3-pointers, five steals, and three blocks.

Both Clark and Reese have developed a bit of a rivalry since their days at the collegiate level. Reese and the LSU Tigers defeated Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. In 2023, the Hawkeyes got revenge by defeating the Tigers in an Elite Eight matchup.

Though Reese is the only one to have a national title to her name, Clark left the NCAA as the top scorer in basketball history. Both are continuing to make their cases to land ROTY, but Watkins is currently betting on Reese to secure the honor.

Watkins did state that she has Reese winning right now, which means that the answer could change in the coming weeks and months. There is still plenty more season left to go with most WNBA teams at the halfway mark of their regular season runs.

This could be a close race when the year wraps up, but at least fans get to enjoy seeing two of the most dynamic rookies the WNBA has ever seen.