Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese is making waves with her historic double-double streak, while Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever has become the WNBA’s first rookie to achieve a triple-double. Unfortunately, Cameron Brink, who was previously ranked as the top rookie, suffered a season-ending ACL tear after just 15 games. With these significant changes, the latest rookie rankings offer a more comprehensive assessment. Each 2024 rookie is evaluated based on the number of wins they’ve contributed this season, utilizing a consensus of three advanced metrics: Basketball-Reference’s Win Shares, Estimated Wins Added from Player Efficiency Rating (PER), and wins generated via Estimated RAPTOR. The RAPTOR metric, newly included, is particularly beneficial as it considers both individual stats and their impact on the game’s outcome.
The combined metrics form a single value called Consensus Wins, which ranks each qualified rookie. Previously, rankings were based on per-minute production due to uneven game counts among teams. Now, with each team having played between 21 and 23 games, rankings can be based on total wins added, marking the halfway point of the WNBA’s 40-game season.
Rookies are still evaluated on a percentile scale (0-100) relative to all WNBA players this season across various metrics: scoring (points per 100 possessions), true shooting percentage, assist rate, rebounding rate, and defensive impact (based on both RAPTOR and defensive rating). This method provides a clear picture of why players rank where they do. As a result, two rookies have started to stand out from the rest of the 2024 draft class.
