The WNBA preseason commenced with a bang as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, two of the most anticipated rookies, made their professional debuts. Clark, a former NCAA Division I record-breaker, and Reese, who led LSU to an NCAA title in 2023, took to the court for the first time as professionals, marking a new chapter in their careers.
Clark, now with the Indiana Fever, faced off against the Dallas Wings in Arlington, while Reese's Chicago Sky traveled to Minneapolis to play the Minnesota Lynx. Despite their teams' losses, both players showcased their potential. Clark led her team with 21 points, including five 3-pointers, while Reese contributed 13 points and nine rebounds for the Sky.
The preseason games were not without controversy. The WNBA initially indicated that all preseason games would be available on WNBA League Pass, but later clarified that only the Fever vs. Wings game would be streamed for free on the WNBA app. The Sky vs. Lynx game was unavailable for official streaming, leading a Lynx fan to host a livestream that attracted over 170,000 viewers by the fourth quarter.
Clark's debut was particularly noteworthy, with the Dallas Wings announcing a sold-out game in Arlington. The first overall pick in this year's WNBA draft, Clark is expected to be a game-changer for the Fever, who have not made the playoffs since 2016.
Reese, the seventh pick in the draft, is also seen as a potential turning point for the Sky, who are currently ranked last out of the 12 WNBA teams. The Sky also drafted 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso, who led the University of South Carolina to a championship over Clark's Hawkeyes in April.
Dawn Staley, Cardoso's coach, praised Clark in a recent interview, crediting her as the "sole reason" why viewership in women's basketball has grown recently. "She's the greatest of her time. I want women's basketball to grow, and I'm not too shy about saying why it grows. She's made it grow over the past two years," Staley said.
The WNBA preseason will continue until next Friday, with the regular season set to tip-off on May 14. As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on these promising rookies as they strive to make their mark in the professional arena.
More for you:
