Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are leading the charge for the next generation in the WNBA. While both rookies made history in the All-Star Game on Saturday, who has the upper edge in the Rookie of the Year race so far? If you ask their fans, they will obviously endorse their favorite star and they’ll have valid reasons to do so. Consequently, a couple of former NBA stars have come out with a solution in the hopes of satisfying both the fan bases. However, all they have managed to do is divide the set of fans further.

In Tidal League’s To The Baha podcast’s latest episode, Raymond Felton, who played 14 seasons in the NBA, expressed his admiration for how quickly Reese and Clark have adapted to the professional level. “Caitlin Clark has figured it out. She’s playing amazing basketball. (And) Angel Reese is breaking records,” he said. He further emphasized that they are both strong contenders for Rookie of the Year.

When asked who he would choose, Felton had a different idea: “If [the ROTY] is so close, let them share it. They both deserve it. They both have changed and impacted the WNBA.” Felton’s co-host and former NBA guard, Theo Pinson, agreed with him. Pinson praised Reese, saying she is a “walking double-double” and that he would love to have someone like her on his team. Felton and Pinson then expressed their admiration for Clark’s passing abilities, saying they were pleasantly surprised by it.

Competing in their first All-Star Game together in Phoenix, Arizona, both rookies made waves. Reese registered a double-double in just 18 minutes, becoming the first-ever WNBA rookie to do so, while Indiana Fever’s point guard notched 10 assists, the most by a rookie in All-Star Game history, in 26 minutes. Their performance solidified their status as rising stars and intensified the ROTY debate.

Furthermore, Clark leads the league in assists per game and recently broke the record for assists in a single game (19). Meanwhile, Reese leads the league in rebounding and surpassed the legendary Candace Parker’s record for consecutive double-doubles. Even though fans are now eagerly anticipating their potential future together, possibly suiting up for Team USA at the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Raymond Felton’s controversial solution has divided the fans into groups.

Fans are divided as both Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are in red-hot form

Angel Reese put up an impressive 12 points, 11 rebounds performance, becoming the first rookie to record a double-double in an All-Star game. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark managed just 2 points on 2-of-9 shooting but dished out a whopping 10 assists in Phoenix. Observing their performances, one fan asserted, “I am a big Caitlin Clark fan, but I wouldn’t have a problem if they gave out a co-Rookie of the Year with her and Angel Reese.”

Moreover, some fans are sharing FanDuel’s MVP ladder, where Clark is third while Reese is nowhere to be found. “One is third in the MVP ladder, what are we doing…,” they wrote, highlighting the supposed gap between Reese and Clark. Another fan wrote, “No need. Caitlin is the clear front runner at this point and angel a solid 2nd.”

In her first season, Clark has posted incredible stats for the Indiana Fever, averaging 17.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and an impressive 8.2 APG. Fans argue that the point guard’s league performance overshadows Reese’s All-Star game showing. “Nah, Angel is good, but Caitlin is absolutely smoking her in the ROTY race, and a 12-point performance in an exhibition game doesn’t change that,” one fan commented, emphasizing Clark’s consistent excellence throughout the season.

However, Reese’s fans are not backing down, believing she is one of the most consistent players in the league. Reese has averaged 13.5 PPG, 12 RPG, and 1.8 APG. They argue it would be unfair even to share the trophy, insisting Clark still has time to enter the conversation. “CC is OK, but she’s not 15 double-doubles and a rebounding god. CC was poised to be the next one,” they wrote, underscoring Reese’s dominant presence on the court.

Another fan straight-up called out anyone who doesn’t think Reese is the ROTY, terming them as “haters“. While the WNBA has gone on a 1-month hiatus now due to the Olympics, fans will be eager to witness the next chapter of this rivalry.