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USC Phenom JuJu Watkins Backs Angel Reese for WNBA Rookie of the Year

Tom Dierberger

Sky forward Angel Reese stands on the court at Barclays Center.
Sky forward Angel Reese stands on the court at Barclays Center. / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
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USC women's basketball star JuJu Watkins believes Chicago Sky phenom Angel Reese deserves to win the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award as things currently stand.

"As of right now, I got Angel," Watkins said in an interview with GQ Sports. "She's been killing it."

Reese is locked in a competitive battle to claim the Rookie of the Year award with the rest of her talented rookie class, including Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft.

In 21 games this season, Reese has registered 14.0 points and 11.9 rebounds per contest. She's one of four WNBA players currently averaging a double-double. Entering Thursday's tilt against the New York Liberty, Reese has collected a double-double in 14 straight games—good for the all-time WNBA record.

Clark, on the other hand, has upped her offensive game as late, averaging 16.7 points on 34.2% shooting from deep and 7.6 assists in 23 games. She just broke the rookie record for most turnovers in a single season (127) but has been filling up the box score in every category, most recently logging 29 points, 13 assists, five rebounds, five steals and five blocks during the Fever's loss to the Washington Mystics on Wednesday.

Watkins, who starred for USC as a freshman last year and led the Trojans to a No. 1 seed and the Elite Eight, also named Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson as her favorite player to watch this season.

“She's been having a remarkable season already and, you know, we're not even midway through,” Watkins said of Wilson to Sports Illustrated's Elizabeth Swinton. “So, just to see what she's doing this season, definitely inspiring.” 

Reese and the Sky have three more games—two against the Liberty and one against the Aces—before the WNBA heads into its monthlong Olympic break on July 21.

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Tom Dierberger

TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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