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Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Other 2024 WNBA Draftees Match Veterans to Their Playing Style

Published 04/21/2024, 2:12 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Caitlin Clark has made it clear that she idolizes Sabrina Ionescu among the active players. But does she also reflect the once three-point champion? And who does the rebounding queen Angel Reese mimic? With many veterans still active in the WNBA, whether on the court or not, there is no denying that many young generation players look up to them. After the 2024 WNBA draft, this year’s talented batch answers which of these honored players they reflect while putting out their elite performances.

The draftees matched their gameplay with the women who stepped first into the professional league. While it was not really a mystery about who the logo-3 master would choose, she still went with it. Clark chose Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu to be the one she tries to mimic. Why not when both the young ladies are on their path for yet another potential NBA All-Star weekend with the WNBA stardust?

USA Today via Reuters

At the same time, the Chi-Barbie said that currently she plays like Alyssa Thomas of the Suns. AT is well-known for her grip on scoring, rebounding, and creating double-doubles. However, Reese wants to switch to a more dominant offensive play like A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.

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Moving to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, Cameron Brink too compared her game with Stewie. But she still needs more prowess on the perimeter to mirror the 2x WNBA champion. Apart from these rockstars, other draftees also had some picks they wanted to share.

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Which other WNBA idols do the 2024 talents admire?

Geno Auriemma’s skillful Nika Muhl who was able to guard Caitlin Clark for the first 20 minutes of their Final Four game also had a few names in mind. The Storm’s rookie said that she tries to copy Skylar Diggins-Smith who will now be her teammate. She also said that she admires Sue Bird, who she is currently also mirroring her career as both came from UConn and entered Seattle. The two stars have continuously shown the competitive drive that sets their tone as the bosses on the floor.

The third ranker in NCAA women’s all-time leading scorer Dyaisha Fair picked Arike Ogunbowale and Jewell Lloyd. The Samaon talent of the Utah Utes had the most unique answer. While Alissa Pili confessed that many say her playing style matches Alyssa Thomas, she believes that she has her own style and does not take inspiration from anyone.

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Rickea Jackson and Aaliyah Edwards had a mix of players they matched. For the former Husky, it was another UConn icon Napheesa Collier that she imitated for the inside game. She also combined A’ja’s dominance and Candace Parker’s versatility. The Spark’s pick combined Breanna Stewart with Elena Delle Donne’s smoothness and Aces star Wilson’s aggressiveness.

Although Caitlin Clark did not get to choose from the men’s team, we already know her two would be LeBron James and Stephen Curry as she answered in another Q&A at the BMA. However, it is great to see that this skillful bunch too has people they look up to and will soon be playing with them or against them. What do you think?

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Written by:

Srashti Sharma

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Srashti Sharma is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports, known for her in-depth researching skills. From the very first time that she heard about Kobe Bryant, she herself cultivated a Mamba Mentality. She loves the competitive nature of the sport which fuels her inner sportswoman.
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Edited by:

Aazima Basharat