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This year has given American sports as strong a rookie class as it has had in recent memory, with stars born in several leagues, and even one with arguably the best rookie class in history.
As much as 2024 can be described as a year defined by the Olympics or the love story of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, it could actually be better described as the year of the rookie.
In each of the four major sports leagues, a rookie has changed the rules of the game for the league, presenting himself as the next big thing.
And in the WNBA, several rookies helped form the best group of first-year players the league has ever seen, raising the bar for all of basketball.
We’ll start with the person who was at the forefront of the rise in popularity in women’s basketball, dating back to her college days.
Caitlin Clark has led the rise in popularity in women’s basketball over the past year.
Clark’s entry into the WNBA helped the league consistently set viewership records.
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft came into the league with the most attention you can imagine for a rookie.
With LeBron James-level expectations in terms of form, on and off the court, Clark took the Indiana Fever from the worst team in the league to a playoff contender in one season.
The WNBA Rookie of the Year finished fourth in MVP voting and set the league record for assists in a single game (19) and season (337).
Although she was rejected by Team USA at the Olympics in favor of more experienced players, she represented the WNBA stars and defeated the Olympians in her only loss of the summer.
Clark had to overcome constant attention from the media and other players, and still learned to adapt to the physicality of the WNBA by being one of the league’s leaders in technical fouls.
Her $28 million shoe deal should open doors for other female athletes in the future.
Clark isn’t the only WNBA rookie who has changed the league forever.
Angel Reese has been perceived as a rival to Clark despite growing the game in her own way.
Angel Reese, Chicago Sky
Reese and Clark’s careers will be forever linked. They played as opponents in two NCAA Tournament games at LSU and Iowa respectively, and in four more in their rookie WNBA seasons.
Although Clark was the heavy favorite for rookie of the year, Reese blazed her own path to greatness by setting the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles (15).
Reese’s season ended prematurely due to a hairline fracture in her left wrist, leaving some to speculate what her true impact might have been with a full season in the WNBA.
With Reese out of the lineup, the Sky fell out of a playoff position and head coach Teresa Weatherspoon was fired after one season leading the team.
That’s a really good sign of how much weight Reese already had on the team, as things quickly fell apart without her.
Not bad for the seventh overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft.
Paul Skenes has become one of the best pitchers in baseball in recent months.
Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
Skenes’ Major League debut was a long time coming, as he dominated his way through the minor leagues after being the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft.
Skenes’ rookie season lived up to expectations as he established himself as the Pirates’ ace the next year.
In 23 starts, he finished with an 11-3 record, a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts.
Skenes was also named a National League All-Star starter before missing a professional start.
Skenes is also known as the boyfriend of LSU gymnast and social media star Olivia Dunne.
The two had long tried to keep their romance a secret, with a large following, but confirmed their relationship on social media last summer.
Skenes signed a $9.2 million bonus when he joined the Pirates, plus Dunne was the highest-earning college athlete due to NIL deals.
Jayden Daniels has quickly proven himself to be the best rookie quarterback in the NFL this year.
Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
The Washington professional football franchise has been searching for a permanent answer at the quarterback position for the past three decades.
Some have stuck around for a while, like Kirk Cousins and Jason Campbell, but none have really earned the trust of the fan base and front office at the same time.
Daniels has seemingly done so in unparalleled fashion after four games.
An astonishing 82.1 career completion percentage, combined with one turnover, will impress a lot of people.
Daniels’ dual-threat ability has set him apart from any other rookie quarterback in what was thought to be a competitive field heading into the season.
Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Bo Nix and everyone else can’t compare.
Victor Wembanyama was seen as a can’t-miss prospect and completely lived up to the hype.
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
The 7-foot-4 Frenchman came into the league with a ball-handling ability better than most guards.
Wembanyama also had an incredible wingspan that could rival any player in the league.
While his San Antonio Spurs never really competed for a playoff spot last season, it was clear how much respect ‘Wemby’ was earning around the league.
Stars like James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic congratulated Wembanyama’s promotion.
The scary thing for the NBA is that the Paris Olympics silver medalist turned 20 in January.
And he’s not even the youngest game-changer in American sports.
Young Connor Bedard has been compared to Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby.
Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks
Bedard just turned 19 in July. While it is not unusual for the NHL to have such a young and good player, the pace at which hockey is played now will make it more difficult as time goes on.
Still, Bedard easily clears that barrier, even at 5-foot-10. Your height doesn’t matter when you can skate circles around most opponents.
Bedard’s rookie season was not as dominant as his contemporaries, as he broke his jaw in January and was forced to miss six weeks of the NHL season.
Bedard still won the NHL Rookie of the Year award after scoring 22 goals and racking up 39 assists and 61 points.
He has an offseason to give himself more opportunities to mature and work on his game now that he’s felt the competition from the NHL.
A sophomore jump could be the biggest for the youngest on this list.