(Editor’s Be aware: That is Half 4 of a five-part sequence, that includes the highest 5 rookie campaigns from every decade over the primary 30 years of the WNBA)
As we proceed our sequence of standout rookies with the 2020s, two phrases come to thoughts about this group:
The longer term.
Whereas A’ja Wilson continues to be essentially the most dominant participant on the planet, we’re having fun with one of many best eras within the historical past of the sport, and we’re being launched to the longer term stars of the WNBA.
The place we started seeing the evolution and growth of the stretch 4 through the 2010s, we’re seeing greatness with backcourt standouts who can take over a recreation with no worry in opposition to anybody.
As a substitute of 1 or two faces of the league, the WNBA is coming into a part the place the league is starting to boast a broad assortment of marketable stars.
The opposite factor this era is offering to the league is an inflow of faculty basketball followers, off the recognition of ladies’s faculty basketball, bringing hundreds of thousands of latest viewers into the WNBA ecosystem.
And with enlargement underway, extra roster spots, deeper expertise distribution, newer fan bases and extra monetary funding, we’re as soon as once more experiencing an excellent decade of rookies.
Week 3: THE 2020s
Two names that will not make it on this checklist and really properly might have are Sabrina Ionescu (2020) and Olivia Miles (2026).
After Ionescu’s excellent senior season at Oregon was ruined by the pandemic, her rookie marketing campaign with the New York Liberty began within the bubble on July 25 and ended eight days later with an ankle damage. She had a legit grievance that she wasn’t thought-about a rookie in her second season after enjoying two video games her first yr. One can solely think about what sort of rookie season she would have had.
With Miles, her season is not full, so it is arduous to position her within the high 5. Is Azzi Fudd going to come back on late and overtake what Miles has carried out? It might be a protracted climb, not that she is not succesful, however there’s quite a lot of time left and it would not be completely out of the query.
That each one mentioned, listed here are the highest 5 rookie campaigns of the 2020s to this point:
1. 2024 – CAITLIN CLARK, Indiana Fever
As we watched this phenomenon go away Iowa and are available into the WNBA, the priority was, like Diana Taurasi mentioned, „Might she deal with the physicality?“ Which, at first blush, gave the impression to be a giant problem. The one factor that everyone thought would translate from Iowa to the W was her courtroom imaginative and prescient and skill to cross the basketball. With then-reigning Rookie of the 12 months Aliyah Boston there to create a right away connection, boy did she ever translate. There was a long-standing report because the league’s second yr of existence of 226 assists in a single season set by Ticha Penicheiro, and never solely did Clark finest that assists report – she destroyed it. She eclipsed the help quantity by 111. The brand new Caitlin Clark customary was 337, and it was mind-blowing. She completed with averages of 19.2 factors, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per recreation.
Followers discovered themselves watching not for the 3-point taking pictures, as a result of it turned too inconsistent, however fairly her skill to discover a teammate in a decent window. She might not be flashy with it like veteran Chelsea Grey, however to place the ball the place it must be and lead your teammate towards the basket, Clark was flawless. She completed the season as an all-WNBA First Workforce choice, one thing only a few rookies have ever achieved, whereas simply profitable the Rookie of the 12 months award. Different accomplishments included the rookie report for factors (769), rookie report for 3-pointers (122), turning into the primary rookie in league historical past with a number of triple-doubles, establishing a single-game report of 19 assists and turning into the primary rookie with a 30-point, 10-assist recreation.
NATIONAL CHAMPION → ROOKIE OF THE YEAR 😮💨
Paige Bueckers, everyone 👏 pic.twitter.com/4S1ywzoCvO
— ESPN (@espn) September 16, 2025
2. 2025 – PAIGE BUECKERS, Dallas Wings
Bueckers stole the present throughout her rookie season as a result of she appeared much less like a participant adjusting to the WNBA and extra like a seasoned star from opening night time. She was certainly the complete meal deal. The burger, the fries, the drink – and all of the sauces for no cost. Whereas averaging greater than 5 assists per recreation, Bueckers balanced scoring with playmaking to make Dallas‘ offense extra organized and harmful. She completed her rookie season averaging 19.2 factors, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals whereas taking pictures practically 48 p.c from the sphere.
She instantly understood precisely what she was imagined to do for herself to succeed, however not solely that, for the primary time since we watched Taurasi play, understood the way to elevate everyone round her. She’s encouraging. She’s a cheerleader. She needs everyone to have as a lot success as she does. From the final girl on the bench to the coach subsequent to them, to the supervisor subsequent to her – she makes everyone higher. Her management qualities seemingly come from a genetic code that you just can not train.
3. 2022 – RHYNE HOWARD, Atlanta Dream
Howard’s profitable rookie season appeared easy as a result of nearly each a part of her recreation translated seamlessly from Kentucky to the WNBA. The 2-time SEC Participant of the 12 months by no means seemed to be overwhelmed by the velocity, physicality, or expectations that include being the No. 1 total decide. She embraced being the focus, as Atlanta handed her the keys from day one, and he or she responded by averaging 16.2 factors, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per recreation. Howard led all rookies in scoring, assists, steals, and minutes whereas beginning each recreation for the Dream.
And three phrases got here to thoughts when watching Howard in her rookie season: „Slick With It.“ She was easy. Typically you puzzled if she was sweating. To today, she nonetheless has a Rucker Park vibe to her, a ability set that reeks of ability irrespective of the place she’s enjoying. The Dream’s blacktop look of their courtroom is ideal for Howard, as a result of that is how she performs. Anytime, anyplace, roll the ball out, I’ll take your lunch cash.
4. 2023 – ALIYAH BOSTON, Indiana Fever
Boston entered the WNBA with probably the most polished all-around ability units a younger submit participant has ever delivered to the skilled degree. One of the vital spectacular bigs popping out of faculty, and we have had a string of them, she left college dictating how her recreation was going to translate. She did not purchase into the truth that she could not play again to the basket. She wasn’t listening to individuals say, „It’s important to shoot the three. It’s important to shoot a 15-footer.“ She did what she knew the way to do finest, and that is play along with her again to the basket. And he or she dominated along with her again to the basket. Boston performed with distinctive effectivity, averaging 14.5 factors, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.25 blocks whereas main the league in field-goal proportion (.578), turning into the primary rookie ever to complete first in that class.
And, as we have seen her profession unfold, she has built-in these different issues into her recreation. However her skill to face and consider in what she knew she might do finest and have success with, modified the trajectory of different careers within the league. That was a really spectacular piece of Boston at such a younger age as a rookie to know what was gonna work, to belief what bought her there and bought that primary decide, and did not waver.
5. 2020 – CRYSTAL DANGERFIELD, Minnesota Lynx
An aptly named Dangerfield was a real hazard for the opposition her rookie season as a result of she mixed elite quickness, fearlessness, and polished level guard play with an underdog mentality. The 5-foot-5 guard was very shifty and had quite a lot of wiggle in her recreation. She averaged 16.2 factors and three.6 assists, led the Minnesota Lynx in scoring, and helped information the staff to a 14-8 report and the No. 4 playoff seed. It was a disgrace the damage bug began to chew in a while, as a result of when she was on high of her recreation, she had actually good courtroom imaginative and prescient and will shoot the leather-based off the basketball. She might go on heaters that may make gamers want they hadn’t come to the health club.
And although it is conceivable the scenario made it robust for her to fulfill the second, since her rookie season was within the bubble, her scenario was even harder being handed the important thing to a Ferrari. There have been many instances it appeared just like the engine was getting caught in third or fourth gear, or the clutch wasn’t clean, or it might by no means discover fifth. And although at instances it bought the perfect of her, she nonetheless had an amazing first season, she nonetheless received Rookie of the 12 months.
W.G. Ramirez is a veteran sports activities author from Las Vegas and a Senior Employees Author at Ballislife.com. Observe him on X at @WillieGRamirez.
