The 20 all-time greatest WNBA rookie seasons

The late Dydek was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 WNBA Draft, and though the Polish star was not named the league’s Rookie of the Year, she had quite the debut season. The 7-foot-2 Dydek started all 30 games for Utah, averaged 12.9 points and pulled down 7.8 boards per contest. However, Dydek’s 114 blocks that season are still the most by a WNBA rookie. A two-time All-Star, Dydek also remains the WNBA’s all-time leader with 877 blocks.

A WNBA champion and member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Penicheiro is among the best guards to ever play the game. Like the aforementioned Margo Dydek, Penicheiro did not take home Rookie of the Year honors. But, until 2024, Penicheiro held the WNBA record for most assists by a rookie (225) and highest assist-per-game average (7.5). She also averaged a career-high 36 minutes as a rookie.

Reid never was never able to live up to a stellar first season that earned her the first WNBA Rookie of the Year, but it was truly a memorable campaign. The seventh-overall pick by Charlotte, Reid averaged career highs of 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and more than a steal and assist per contest, while starting all 30 games. Reid played five more seasons in the WNBA, but never came close to matching those scoring and rebounding averages again.

Among the greatest to ever play the game — regardless of gender. The Hall of Famer Catchings was the No. 3 overall pick by the Fever in 2001, but didn’t play that season while recovering from ACL surgery. When Catchings finally stepped on the floor in the WNBA, she was a dominant force from the get-go. In 2002, Catchings averaged 18.6 points (her second-highest season average), 8.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, a league-best 2.9 assists and recorded league-rookie record 94 steals, while earning her first of 10 All-Star nods, a First-Team All-WNBA selection, and helping Indiana reach the playoffs.

Ford is one of two players in WNBA history to win both Rookie of the Year and a league championship in the same season. The daughter of Karl Malone, Ford, the No. 3 overall pick in 2003, started all 32 games, averaging 10.8 points and 10.4 rebounds during a memorable rookie season where he was named an All-Star for the first of four times and won the first of her three titles with the Shock.

Another WNBA legend who didn’t win the league’s Rookie of the Year award, Pondexter was the second overall pick in 2006, and named an All-Star that same season. Pondexter laid the foundation for her stellar WNBA legacy during her rookie season, averaging 19.5 points (fourth-most by a rookie), shooting 44.2 percent from the field, knocking down 37.3 percent of her 3-point attempts and dishing out 3.1 assists per game, while starting 32 games alongside fellow WNBA icon Diana Taurasi. 

To this date, Augustus’ 21.9 points per game scoring average remains the best of any rookie in WNBA history (we’re not counting Cynthia Cooper’s 22.2 ppg from the league’s inaugural 1997 season). In fact, the No. 1 overall pick was the only Lynx player to average double-digit points in 2006. Augustus also holds WNBA rookie records for points (744), average made field goals per game (8.3) and average field-goal attempts per game (18.2) while earning the first of her eight All-Star nods. 

No matter how much is accomplished with two 2024 WNBA rookies in particular, it will be hard to top what Parker did during her highly anticipated rookie season with the Sparks. After leading Tennessee to consecutive national championships, Parker stepped into the WNBA spotlight and dominated from the start. In 2008, Parker averaged 18.5 points on 52.3 percent shooting, 9.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals. She even threw down a few dunks along the way to becoming the only player to date to win both WNBA Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season.

One of the great post players in the history of the WNBA, Charles held the record for total rebounds (398) and average rebounds per game (11.7) by a rookie until both marks fell during the 2024 campaign. That rebounding average also led the league, while Charles averaged 15.5 points and shot 48.7 percent from the field in her first season with the Sun. Two years later, Charles would be named WNBA MVP. However, she is still chasing that elusive league championship.

Moore joins the aforementioned Cheryl Ford as the only players to win both WNBA Rookie of the Year and a league championship in the same season. The overall No. 1 pick in 2011, Moore obviously had an immediate impact in helping the Lynx win the first of the franchise’s four WNBA championships. Amid a roster loaded with talented stars like Lindsay Whalen and Seimone Augustus, Moore averaged 13.2 points, made 37 percent of her 3-point attempts and also pulled down 4.6 boards and dished out 2.6 assists per game to begin her Hall of Fame career.

Ogwumike certainly lived up to the hype that came along with being the overall No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft. In her highly anticipated first season with the Sparks, Ogwumike averaged 14 points on 53.5 percent shooting from the field. She also pulled down 7.5 rebounds per contest and recorded more than an assist and steal per game. Ogwumike was not named an All-Star in 2012, but honored as the league’s Rookie of the Year.

Delle Donne is the only No. 2 overall draft pick to win the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award, and she did so by putting together one of the most celebrated seasons by a rookie in any sport — regardless of gender. Starting all 30 games she played for the Sky in 2013, the 6-foot-5 Delle Donne averaged 18.1 points and made 43.8 percent of her shots from 3-point range. Not to mention, Delle Donne’s 92.9 percent performance from the free-throw line remains a rookie record.

Two years after sister Nneka was named WNBA Rookie of the Year, it was Chiney’s turn to receive the honor. Selected first overall by Connecticut in 2014, the younger Ogwumike averaged 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as a rookie. Chiney was also named an All-Star along with Nneka, the two thus becoming the first sisters to be selected for the same WNBA All-Star Game.

Stewart won four straight titles at UConn as the best college basketball player in the country, then was poised to continue that individual and team success at the pro level with Seattle. During her first campaign in 2016, Stewart averaged 18.3 points on 45.7 percent shooting, 9.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game to easily win WNBA Rookie of the Year honors. Two years later, Stewart won her first of two WNBA MVP awards and league championships with the Storm.

Currently the best player in the WNBA, Wilson, like most others on this list, seemed destined to be a pro legend. Before she was a two-time WNBA MVP and league champion, Wilson put together one of the best rookie seasons in any professional basketball league. She posted a double-double in her first game, and by the time the 2018 season came to an end, Wilson averaged 20.7 points per game — ranked third all-time for a rookie. Her 682 rookie points, via 46.2 percent shooting, ranked second all-time entering the 2024 season. Wilson also averaged eight rebounds per contest en route to being named WNBA Rookie of the Year. 

An elite performer at both ends of the court, Collier was taken sixth overall by the Lynx in 2019. In her WNBA debut, Collier scored 27 points to lay the foundation for a stellar pro career that continues to thrive. Entering the 2024 season, she joins Tamika Catchings as the only WNBA rookies to record at least 400 points, 200 rebounds and 60 steals. During that season, Collier averaged 13.1 points and shot 49 percent while averaging more than 33 minutes per contest. She also averaged 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals during her first campaign in the league.

Standing just 5-foot-5, Dangerfield has always played bigger than her physical stature. Upon being drafted in the second round (16th overall) by Minnesota, Dangerfield was slated for a reserve spot as a rookie. However, injuries on the roster thrusted Dangerfield into the starting point guard role and she made the most of the opportunity. She averaged a team-leading — and career-high — 16.2 points per contest on 47.1-percent shooting and 3.6 assists to become the first player not drafted in the first round to win WNBA Rookie of the Year.

Following a legendary career at South Carolina, Boston more than held her own as a rookie in the WNBA in 2023. A unanimous Rookie of the Year selection, Boston averaged 14.5 points per game and shot a league-best 57.8 percent while starting 40 games in her first run with the Fever — quite the accomplishment for a club that went 13-27 that season. Boston also averaged 8.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists while being named an All-Star, as well.

There were certainly big things expected from Reese, who was selected seventh overall by the Sky, but did anybody see her breaking Sylvia Fowles’ single-season rebounds record (404) by Sept. 1? Well, Reese did just that, and obviously set a rookie record in the process before her season was cut short in early September with a wrist injury. In addition, Reese finished her stellar rookie campaign averaging 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds. On June 30, she recorded a WNBA single-season record 10th straight double-double. Reese is also the first WNBA rookie to post a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) in the All-Star Game.

In any other season, the aforementioned Angel Reese might be the runaway winner of WNBA Rookie of the Year. However, Clark, the favorite to win the award, appears well on her way to doing so. When the 2024 season is all said and done, Clark’s rookie accomplishments, at least from a statistical standpoint, could be in contention for the greatest season by a WNBA rookie — even better than Parker, Catchings, Stewart or Augustus. As of Sept. 1, Clark already broke Ticha Penicheiro’s recorded for single-season assists and average assists per game by a rookie, and shattered Tamika Catchings’ Indiana rookie mark of 594 points. And, is averaging more than 18 points and 8 assists per contest.