Clubbed Honor With Caitlin Clark, Is Angel Reese Worthy of ‘Athlete of the Year’ Award?

Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have been the pillars behind their respective team’s success last season. Both of them were the driving forces behind LSU and Iowa making it to the 2022-23 NCAA Finals. While Caitlin held the upper hand by being the national player of the year, Reese bested her by winning the Finals. Following this, there has been a long-standing debate on who is a better basketball player between the two.

Everyone was hoping that the Sporting News would settle this argument when they announced the Athlete Of The Year. However, the award was shared among both these athletes as there was no conclusive distinction between the two. Unfortunately, soon after the announcement, fans have been questioning the decision on whether or not the Bayou Barbie deserves the award.

What makes Angel Reese deserving of the award?

Angel Reese had a remarkable championship season with the LSU Tigers. The powerful No.22 made a move to LSU from Maryland as she had utmost faith in Kim Mulkey’s “winning culture.” Consequently, she became the standout player in that LSU locker room. Reese tumbled multiple records in the program’s history as a junior. She broke LSU’s single-game rebounding record of Maree Jackson by securing 28 rebounds in a game against Texas A&M. In addition, Reese surpassed  Sylvia Fowles’s record of consecutive double-doubles when she registered her 20th double-double in LSU’s win over Alabama.

Angel carried her prolific form further in the NCAA tournament. In LSU’s Elite Eight clash against the Mississippi State her 32nd double-double broke the SEC single-season record which was earlier held by Teaira McCowan. As a result, she earned the  Most Outstanding Player of the Greenville Regional 2 title. Soon after, in the Final Four, she got the SEC single-season rebounding record to her name with her 12 rebounds against the Virginia Tech. After which, she was her absolute best on the night of the Finals.

Apparently, Reese recorded  15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in the championship game. Hence, she held the NCAA single-season record with 34 double-doubles and was subsequently adjudged the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

Why do fans think Angel is not worthy?

Ever since the ‘March Madness’, social media stood divided on the opinion that if Angel Reese matches the level set by her national championship rival– Caitlin Clark. Evidently, Clark holds supremacy over Reese due to the astronomical rate of scoring she has in the NCAA. She is within touching distance to break Kelsey Plum’s all-time NCAA scoring record.

Also, Clark was the clear pick over Reese as she won most of the major individual accolades last season. There is a long list of achievements and awards in which Caitlin simply outplayed and overpowered the All-American forward.

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The 6 ft point guard’s exceptional performances won her the James E. Sullivan Award and the Wade Trophy. She was the USBWA National Player of the Year and Naismith recognized her as the College Player of the Year. Furthermore, Clark was the recipient of the John R. Wooden Award and the Honda Sports Award. Additionally, AP chose her to be the Player of the Year for 2023.

Angel Reese’s impact on LSU

Basketball is a team sport. For an athlete, collective team glory holds far more importance than individual greatness. As far as that is concerned, Angel Reese definitely makes a strong case for herself. Not only did she help LSU lift their first-ever national championship trophy, she also made the Lady Tigers a force to be reckoned with. Also, there is no denying that her attitude has shaped the team’s ruthless mentality to conquer any challenge put in front of them.

In the end, it is safe to say that there is no harm in recognizing the blood, sweat, and tears she shed while being an amazing ambassador for the game. Reese has proven her worth in the past and there is no doubt she has the potential to do it again soon. There is no reason to question her credibility as an athlete.

Do you think Angel Reese was the right choice for Athlete Of The Year? Let us know in the comments section.   

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