Jason Whitlock has criticized Lisa Leslie’s call for Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark to share the WNBA Rookie of the Year (ROTY) award, labeling it as “skin-color tribalism.”
Leslie, a former WNBA star, recently expressed her belief that both Reese and Clark deserve the Rookie of the Year honor.
She tweeted that both Reese and Clark “rose to the top and exceeded all our expectations,” arguing that they should share the prestigious award.
Whitlock, a sports columnist known for his outspoken views, responded sharply, dismissing Leslie’s suggestion as racially motivated and devoid of merit.
He stated that there is “no legitimate argument” for Reese sharing the award with Clark, emphasizing that while Reese is an elite rebounder, Clark is an elite basketball player.
Whitlock also argued that no team would draft Reese ahead of Clark, further asserting that the two players are on different levels in terms of overall impact.
“Skin-color tribalism. There is no legitimate argument for Angel Reese sharing rookie of the year. None. Reese is an elite rebounder. Clark is an elite basketball player. There isn’t one team that would draft Reese ahead of Clark,” he tweeted.
Clark has been a standout in her rookie season, averaging 18.7 points per game while shooting 42.4% from the field and 34.1% from beyond the arc.
In addition to her scoring, Clark is also contributing 5.6 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game, making her one of the most well-rounded players in the league.
Reese, on the other hand, is averaging 13.3 points per game on 37.5% shooting from the field, along with 13.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
